Commission on International Religious Freedom names India, Pakistan as “countries of particular concern”

WASHINGTON : A group of Indian Americans, comprising mostly physicians, have floated a new organization called the Indian American Republican Council (IARC), to work with the Republican Party at the federal, state and local levels. The IARC hosted its inaugural dinner at Angelo & Maxie’s Steakhouse in downtown Washington, D.C. on Sept. 26.

Dr. R. Vijayanagar, chairman of the organization, presented a check for $25,000 to Rep. Tom Davis, Virginia Republican, as part of the council’s contribution for the upcoming Congressional races. The popular Congressman from the 11th District in Virginia promised to “use the check for a very good and needy cause” and said it would help Republican candidates seeking office.

Davis also congratulated the community members for their initiative, drive and commitment in backing the Republican Party. He said the community, with its highly-acclaimed family values, educational background and entrepreneurial spirit, was fast making a name in the corporate as well as the information technology world.

It was only high time that an organization like the IARC was formed to enable the Indian-American community participate in the political process, particularly to play an active role in the country’s electoral process, both at the federal as well as the state level, he said.

“Increasing the Republican majority in the House will require significant grassroots support in communities across the country,” Davis said. “IARC’s efforts will be a crucial element of our success in November.”

At the outset, Sudhir Shenoy, co-chair of the council, told the congressman and the gathering that the Indian-American community has steadily risen in numbers to approximately 1.7 million people. “We believe that this community possesses the greatest number of opinion makers in the nation.” He, however, regretted that despite the successes achieved by this community, Indian Americans were still struggling to become part of the fiber of the nation.

He said Americans of Indian origin have values similar to the values set forth by the Republican Party and the president and stressed the need to harness this great resource, provided by the community for the benefit of the party and the nation. IARC has been created to provide a platform for Indian Americans to work closely with the Republican Party in the formulation of policies that are of importance to the Indian American community and the nation, according to the organizers.