WASHINGTON -- An Indian-American woman politician in the US has received hundreds of angry emails and phone calls, some telling her to 'go back to India', after she called for a nation-wide protest against President-elect Donald Trump.
Kshama Sawant, a Seattle Councilwoman is one of the few socialist office holders in the US, has been receiving 'vicious threats and racist comments' after she appealed her supporters to publicly protest against the inauguration of Trump as the 45th president of the US in January, media reports said.
"Join me, I appeal to you,... Let's have a massive protest and tell America we do not accept a racist agenda and let's make sure that on Inauguration Day, on the 20th and 21st of January, let's do a nationwide shutdown and occupy inauguration," Sawant said at a post-election press conference at Seattle City Hall on 9 November.
The video of her press conference has gone viral on the social media. As a result, her office has been receiving all kinds of threatening messages.
"I will come and tattoo a swastika on your head and on that bitch's head," a (Sawant) staffer was told on phone, Council spokesperson Dana Robinson Slote told Q13 News in an email.
"Go back to India bitch," another email read.
"I am tired of being shamed because I'm a white male. You automatically think I'm a racist. How about you go the (expletive) back to India or wherever you came from?" another email said.
"Ever stop to think we see (Obama) as a racist? But we carried on and lived to fight another day. Stop being such a cry baby bitch and go hang yourself."
In 2013, Sawant made history to become the first socialist elected in Seattle in 100 years by winning a City Council seat.
Post general election, she has called her movement as "Build the resistance against Trump."
Hola Mohalla festival
(01 of11)
Open Image Modal"One of the five temporal seats of Sikhism, Anandpur Sahib located in Ropar district in Punjab, is the main place associated with festival of Hola Mohalla. It was here in 1699 that the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singhji started the Sikh panth. There is a magnificent Gurudwara atop a hilltop referred to as Keshgarh Sahib. The river Sutluj flows on the southern side forming a boundary with beautiful Himalayas in full panoramic view." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(02 of11)
Open Image Modal(03 of11)
Open Image Modal"Nihang Baljeet Singh was displaying his archery skills during 1998. His yellow robes and a very antique-looking bow and arrow and other weapons of war he was carrying on him made me capture this moment against a clear blue sky. A polarizer was used on the roll film camera with Kodak 400 asa film." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(04 of11)
Open Image Modal"This one was shot with a film camera in 1999 during the Tricennetary celebrations of the Khalksa Panth, this horse rider with a Neza (pointed weapon) used in tent pegging was gracefully displaying his martial art skills." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(05 of11)
Open Image Modal"In this shot I was experimenting with the photographic technique of ‘panning’. After many unsuccessful attempts, I finally got a shot of an elderly horseman in motion." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(06 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2010, this picture has a story behind it. Nihang Gulzar Singh, who is in his 70s, insisted that I give him an instant print, which he wanted to carry home for his family. After a lot of struggle and several explanations, I told him it was not possible to give him a print of his photo, which was his precondition for a photoshoot. I told him I would instead mail him at the earliest if he would give me his mailing address. I kept my promise but was not sure whether he received it or not. I also didn’t see him after that date even though I am a regular at the festival and know many of these warriors. The pink colour on his nose and his orange turban are the highlights of the photograph." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(07 of11)
Open Image Modal(08 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2012, this one was shot in a nihang camp where they were dressing up and getting ready for the final day of the festival at Charan Ganga Stadium. Some were tying their turban, some twirling their moustaches, some getting ready with newly stitched clothes. The ‘Khanda’ is evident on all the three warriors’s forehead, the symbol of Sikhism." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(09 of11)
Open Image Modal"Anandpur Sahib is referred to as ‘holy city of bliss’ and is mainly surrounded by semi-urban towns and villages. During the three-day festival, the town comes to life with lakhs of devotees converging here to pay their reverence to the 10th Guru. Devotees arriving in cars, vans, tractors, motorcycles are offered community kitchen food (langar) enroute to the gurudwara by the villagers." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(10 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2015, I had especially purchased a 85mm lens for potraite of Nihangs. Here is an exciting study of young and the old warriors." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(11 of11)
Open Image Modal"Langar or community kitchen is an integral part of Sikh culture. Villages which are situated on either side of the major roads leading to the gurudwara have makeshift arrangements for devotees. Freshly cook food is served free of cost with love and devotion and without any discrimination of caste, creed, colour and religion. Here village folks, men, women and youngsters are seen preparing langar. This is shot with a Nikon fisheye 10.5mm lens." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)