The Howdy Modi event in Houston, Texas, was an history-making event for India as Prime Miniter Narendra Modi was no less than a magnetic personality in attracting a massive crowd of more than 50000 people. The NRG football stadium was filled with much Indian-American community, US citizens, Sikhs, and Christians.
But, amidst of all these positive welcoming for Modi, there also comes toxicity, ie, a few thousand also turned up to protest against the mega event. The protest has been made by the Pakistanis and shockingly, even White Americans and Black Americans. In spite of President Donald Trump’s participation, Americans did not turn back in stopping the protest.
The protestors held placards denouncing Fascism, Nazism, genocide, and suppression of minorities. One of the protestors, Pieter Friedrich, tweeted: “I just came from the #AdiosModi protest against #HowdyModi, where I spoke about how the RSS – the Nazi-inspired paramilitary that produced Modi – is the KKK of India and has inspired white supremacist terrorists like Anders Breivik. Speak out, speak the truth, speak in solidarity.”
One placard read ‘Rowdy, Modi’ and another read, ‘We are not anti-Hindu, we are anti-Hindutva’. Most of the people shouted ‘Go back, Modi’. While thousands gathered inside the stadium for the “Howdy, Modi!” rally, hundreds of Indian-Americans also stood outside to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.
Fortunately, the protest was less intense when compared to the support Modi got inside the stadium. The people who participated in the protest were less hysteric and did not create much ruckus. On the other hand, the massive crowd inside the stadium, who stood to see Modi and support his words, went gaga over the Indian Prime Minister.