Overseas supporters of India’s Prime Minister Modi make impassioned plea to help in his re-election

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Indian-American supporters of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi make impassioned plea to help campaign for his re-election

Supporters of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi living in the United States, are rallying his admirers to campaign for the charismatic Indian leader heading into the 2019 general elections where the largest democracy in the world will exercise its vote.

According to the Election Commission of India, voting stretches from from April 11 to May 19, during which close to 900 million eligible voters can go to the polls. Results will be announced May 23.

Dinesh Desai welcomed the approximately 150 Modi supporters who came to the March 31 meeting held at Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul

USA in Paramus, N.J., entitled “NAMA Again for 2019.”

Community leaders sent out a rallying cry in their flyer which read, “NRIs For Modi” and “Nation With NAMO” and quoted his sayings such as “Ham Bhi Chowkidar” which summons supporters to declare themselves as guardians of the nation; as well as “Saaf Niyat Sahi Vikas” (clear conscience, right progress), among others.

The goal of the meeting was to inspire voters to re-elect “Determined, Decision-Maker, Dynamic, Visionary, Global Leader,” the flyer declared. It also used slogans like, “United We Stand For Bharat Mata The New India” as well as “If Modi Ji Pledged His Life For Nation Then At Least We Can Join Together To Support And Make A Difference.”

The event was sponsored by Hira and Narsinh K. Desai, and Dinesh Desai, of New Jersey. Other team members and organizers most of them hailing originally from Gujarat, included Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, founder and chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and chairman of ITV Gold, who also spoke at the event.

“It’s time now… the election is here. Election is a festivity of democracy. We must do the right thing … what is good for India and what is good for our 2nd and 3rd generation. We must help Narendra bhai because he is the leader, world leader. He’s taking India to world level, making India world level. His initiatives are all to take India to world level in the future,” Dr. Parikh said. He drew attention to the Ayushmaan Bharat public health initiative, the largest of its kind in the world, he noted. “So let’s take a pledge that we are all ‘chowkidars’ … Let’s work for Narendra Bhai Modi.”

Other speakers made impassioned appeals calling on Indian-Americans to go to India or call their friends and acquaintances, to vote for Modi.

“We must give our support to him otherwise Bharat Mata will not forgive us,” said Narsinh Desai. “We must use this opportunity … I have request that we send thousand people to India. … We cannot sit idle,” Desai added (rough translation).

Arish Sahani, another speaker, called on people to ‘awake”. Vibjuti Jha called for “action” and that the time to mull over and think was over. “Hindu unity is … the need of the hour,” Jha said.

Vinod Jhunjhunwala read shlokas out to the crowd, and said, “… God has sent Modiji for some purpose … and it is our duty to work with him and uplift India.” (rough translation)

Acharya Anudhyananda said, “A good leader assures security to the home and the nation.”