NEW YORK: A large number of Indian demonstrators greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while he received a star treatment from 18,000 people gathered inside the Madison Square garden on Sunday afternoon.

A broad coalition of organisations and individuals under the umbrella Alliance for Justice (AJA) and Accountability organised the massive rally.

The demonstrators carrying posters and banners were shouting slogans against Mr Modi. Slogans on placards, banners and posters read, ‘Modi India’s Prime Murdrer’ ‘No More Hate, No More Killing’, Wanted Narendra Modi—For Crime against Humanity.

The protesters had arrived in New York City from New Jersey, Baltimore, Washington DC, and Philadelphia by chartered buses.

A spokesman of the coalition told reporters that their objective to demonstrate was manifold : First, by refusing to allow the thousands killed, raped and displaced by the Gujarat massacres be forgotten; they are calling for him, along with other government and police officials implicated in the events of 2002, to be made accountable for crimes against humanity.

Secondly, they seek to highlight widespread concerns about the neoliberal development programme itself as a flawed model with a poor track record for India.

The Alliance for Justice and Accountability is a tri-State area coalition of a diverse range of Indian/South Asian organisations and individuals.

Published in Dawn, September 30th , 2014