NetSAP Boston condemns Terror in India & sends its condolences

Boston, Sunday 29th November 2008: Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP Boston) strongly condemns the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. The organization also expresses condolences to all the families of innocent victims who lost their lives in this attack including the officials who laid down their life fighting the terrorists.

NetSAP Boston executive board and its members who are first and second generation Indians have strong ties back to the country. What angers and frustrates many is the magnitude and the type of attack in Mumbai. Moreover, this event which was preceded by terror attacks in other prominent cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, and Ahmedabad over last two years, seemed like a nail in the coffin. Many have in fact lost patience with the political establishment in India which despite the several recent attacks failed to prevent or move in quickly to mitigate the loss.

While political awareness has been a pillar that NetSAP Boston focuses on, this incident highlights an important issue that many other non-profits and NGOs should focus on in addition to their other developmental activities. What good is development and growth without peace. Indian politicians are bent upon dividing people on race, region, caste, and language hardly focusing on the important issues that matter to the people including security. Since years NetSAP Boston has worked with several alliance partners and helped them with fundraising and other developmental initiatives. Today, NetSAP Boston pledges its support to Indian NGOs and non-profits here in Boston to help create non-partisan political awareness in India about these issues. It is also time that the young Indian generation who are against terror and want to bring about change in India joined our organization and made their voices heard.

Our hearts and prayers are with all the people and families in India who are undergoing this trauma.

NetSAP Boston is also planning to hold a candle light vigil to show the support of the strong Indian American community to the people in India. We are talking to many of our partner organizations to join us in this effort. If you are a representative of an organization and want to support this cause with us please email Tushneem Dharmagadda, President, NetSAP Boston or Chindu Satheesh, Community Chair. Details will be posted on our website soon.

Update: Candle light vigil to show unity and remember victims of terrorism - 6pm on December 4th

Meanwhile NetSAP encourages its members to use its forums at www.netsapboston.org/forums to discuss more about this issue and to send in their comments. We believe that Mumbai is resilient and will spring back to normalcy soon. A tribute to Mumbai is this old song from CID - "Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan"



On behalf of NetSAP Boston Team
Tushneem Dharmagadda