Indian-Americans raise $50K to support orphanage run by Sadhvi Ritambhara

The Indian-American community in Atlanta has come forward to raise USD50,000 to support Vatsalya Gram, an orphanage project run by Indian spiritual leader Sadhvi Ritambhara.

Several hundred Indian-Americans gathered at the Impact Center inside the Global Mall, a popular South Asian retail destination, to attend an event of Ritambhara, who is currently on a multi-city tour of the US.

In her remarks, she thanked the generous support the project has received from diaspora communities. Her remarks were followed by an hour-long discourse.

"This pious and saintly personality is taking care of thousands of neglected children and women. Moreover, she talked about living a stress-free life rooted in basic human values," said Shiv Aggarwal, owner of the Global Mall and main organiser of the event.

Outside the venue, a number of Indian-American Muslims held a peaceful protest against the visiting Hindu leader. They urged the organisers to cancel the event and formally denounce Ritambhara's alleged hateful and violence-inciting comments against India's religious minorities.

"She represents an ideology of hate and violence an ideology that is tearing India apart and threatening our communities here too," alleged Zameer Khan, president of the Indian-American Muslim Council's Atlanta Chapter.

In a separate statement, representatives of various Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Yezidi and Buddhist religious, cultural and advocacy organisations based in Georgia strongly condemned the propaganda being waged by "various radical and extremist groups" against the Hindu leader.

"Sadhvi Ritambhara, a revered saintly figure within the Hindu world, is gracing this occasion. A smear campaign, aimed at maligning her and attacking the organisers, as well as supporters, is underway across the nation on social media platforms by various extremist groups. The purpose of this hate campaign is to cause fear and intimidate the American Hindus, the fourth-largest religious minority in the United States," said the joint statement.