Indian-Americans in Houston pay tribute to victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack

Houston: Hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered here to pay tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and called for stronger measures to prevent targeted attacks against Hindus.

Peaceful vigils were also held across major cities of North America.

The Houston vigil commenced with the national anthems of India and the US, followed by solemn hymns, recited by a Hindu priest for the departed souls as the crowd, comprising young children and seniors alike, stood in silence.

The majority of the participants wore white, the traditional colour of mourning in India, and held placards reading "Stop Killing Innocents", “Indian Americans Against Terror", "Justice for Kashmir Victims", and "Hindu Lives Matter". "Terror has only one religion." The chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" resounded in the sprawling Sugarland Memorial Park.

Speakers at the event called for stronger measures to prevent targeted attacks against Hindus.

"India must take stern action to stop the targeted killings of Hindus, from Kashmir to Murshidabad," said one speaker, drawing applause from the crowd.

Another speaker urged the community to "stand together against these inhuman killings of innocent Hindus".

Terrorists opened fire in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, in the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack.

Photographs of the victims and placards bearing messages such as "All Eyes on Pahalgam", "Never Forget 26", and "Hindu Lives Matter" were displayed at the venue.

Sunanda Vashisht, political commentator and emcee for the Houston event, said, "We mourn the tragic loss of innocent Hindu lives in a terror attack in Pahalgam. It was an attack not just on individuals but on the very principles of humanity, peace, and faith." Similar vigils were organised across North America, including at Shri Bhagavad Gita Park in Ontario, Canada; Denny Park in Seattle; Pioneer Boulevard in Artesia, California; the University of Texas in Dallas; and in Atlanta, Georgia.

At Denny Park in Seattle, around 50 people gathered under the theme "Standing United Against Terrorism", led by the Washington Hindu Education and Seva Foundation, with support from other local organisations.

In Atlanta, Raj Razdan, Chair of the National Federation of Indian Associations (NFIA) in Georgia, condemned the killings as "cowardly and senseless", and said, "The Indian diaspora stands united. These attacks will not break us." Earlier this week, students at the University of Houston organised a campus vigil. More events are scheduled over the weekend, including gatherings at Frisco Square near Dallas, Bellevue Downtown Park in Washington, Times Square in New York City, and Edison, New Jersey.

As the Houston vigil concluded, participants lit candles and stood silently, pledging to keep the memory of the victims alive and to continue demanding justice.