Houston rally against Modi; mosques as pick-up spots

With the 'Howdy Modi!' event all set to stage in Texas, Houston on Sunday, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be speaking, several anti-Modi and separatist groups are planning to protest at various locations there, according to reports.

Pro-India activists on social media claim that scores of protestors are being bussed in by organisers from mosques and Islamic centres in the region to rally against Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

There are a total of 17 pick-up points, with 16 of them next to mosques or Islamic centres.

"See how this works yet? Mosques are not simple places of worship. They are places of co-ordination & control," tweeted Katie Hopkins, an English media personality. 

Mass protest being organised for #HowdyModi event.

SUPRISE SUPRISE the bus pick-ups for those protesting against Modi & Trump are the mosques of #Houston

See how this works yet? Mosques are not simple places of worship. They are places of co-ordination & control #STOPTHEBUS pic.twitter.com/HFlHvGzfrT

— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) September 19, 2019

People present to protest #HowdyModi at Houston City Council. pic.twitter.com/1sSZjqZ0ZW

— Pieter Friedrich (@FriedrichPieter) September 17, 2019

@PMOIndia should be careful of the rally planned by Pakistanis against his #HowdyModi event in Houston. pic.twitter.com/SE91T19VBx

— Indian Defence League (@RajputShubhamDJ) September 16, 2019

You will notice, all the places where free buses are available for the travel to protest rally near #HowdyModi event are associated with Islamic name... pic.twitter.com/zBrOVfGv6o

— Indian Defence League (@RajputShubhamDJ) September 16, 2019

pic.twitter.com/loZmLmwq2M

— Indian Defence League (@RajputShubhamDJ) September 16, 2019

There were mixed reactions pouring in regarding the protest and the locations picked for it.

If mosques are going to be political centers for spreading sharia and political jihad - the govt needs to be looking at this more closely. We have separation of church and state for a reason. America can’t afford formation of ‘Muslim League’ like political movements.

— Bala பாலா 🇺🇸🇮🇳 (@Bala8105) September 19, 2019

The Houston Police, the FBI, US Secret Service, and immigration authorities were tagged and mentioned in various tweets to point out that a place of worship is used to propogate a political agenda, and to expose the purported civil liberties and human rights abuse.

Hello @DHSgov This one is for you. Your responsibility, your business, your reputation. Please have a look. #STOPTHEBUS https://t.co/aQnSfnIvIe

— Neethu (@1HogwartsAlumna) September 20, 2019

They also pointed out the similarity between the protest that took place in London against PM Modi when Article 370 was abrogated scrapping the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Heard of the planned protest by muslim groups and creating a london like situation, how are u gonna manage. Hope there is no violence!

— Proud Indian (@fori77) September 20, 2019

Hope what happened to Indians in London, UK will not happen to Indians in USA.
Hope @POTUS must have taken all measures to protect Indians n security to keep Pakistanis n ISI funded people away from this event.

Anti India people should not be allowed to violent protest.

— vkrutika (@avkrutika) September 16, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the US on September 22 and will address the Indian-American community in Houston, for the UN General Assembly session. 

READ: Howdy, Modi! All you know need to know about the event

"Howdy, Modi!", the Indian-American community summit, will be hosted by the Texas India Forum, the Houston-based non-profit which is expected to bring together tens of thousands of people, according to a press release.