People attending the prayer meeting at the BAPS temple in Flushing

A prayer meeting in the memory of the victims of the tsunami disaster in Asia was organized by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) at Flushing in Queens on Jan. 2. The tsunami prayer meeting was held at the B.A.P.S. temple and over 600 people attended the event. Those who participated included politicians, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Assemblyman Jimmy Meng (D-Flushing), and several organizations like the Federation of Indian Americans.

Congressman Weiner said that “common humanity runs amongst us. All of mankind must unite in this kind of disaster,” said a press release. Assemblyman Meng said appreciated the relief work done by B.A.P.S. in Gujarat earlier and in Tamil Nadu now. He pledged to collect $10,000 for B.A.P.S.’s relief efforts.

Congressman Anthony Weiner addressing the prayer meeting. (Photos: Courtesy: B.A.P.S)

Councilman Rajeev Gowda from Staten Island, who also represented the Karnataka Association, said that this kind of tragedy brings people together for the cause of humanity. The Federation of Indian Associations of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut’s former president, Radhakrishnan, thanked BAPS for the relief work being done in Tamil Nadu. He said the FIA would try to help as much as it can in this relief effort. Others who praised the relief work being done by BAPS included Prakash Swami, president, Tamil Sangam Association and Jagdish Patel, president, Gujarati Samaj.

An appeal from Pramukh Swami Maharaj was read at the meeting which asked “people to help in this time of crisis and need. In this situation it is our duty to provide humanitarian aid, regardless of community, caste, color, creed or country and other differences.”