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Public commenters urge Rockville leaders to avoid ties with Vishva Hindu Parishad of America amid allegations
Summary
Several nonresidents told the Rockville Mayor and Council the Vishva Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) should not be welcomed in local venues, alleging links to extremist violence in India; council thanked speakers, asked them to submit materials in writing and noted the event in question took place in the county, not the city.
At the start of the meeting’s public comment period, multiple speakers urged Rockville officials to scrutinize ties to the Vishva Hindu Parishad of America, citing published reports and legal actions they said link its parent organizations to violence in India.
"This is not ignorance. It is complicity," said Peter Friedrich, a nonresident, who described the VHPA as "importing the machinery of anti‑Muslim violence" and called on local…
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