Solemness marks Indian Diaspora gatherings in New Zealand

Venkat Raman
Auckland, May 11, 2025

The terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, that left 26 innocent men dead (including a Nepali national), sparked widespread condemnation and grief across the world.

In New Zealand, the Indian community also condemned the attack. People with families and friends in India were seen in tears, mourning the dead.

Various organisations and community groups came together to express their solidarity with the victims and their families, holding vigils and condemnation meetings to denounce the violence.

PM and Deputy PM condemn attacks

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who was in the United Kingdom on an official visit said, “Having woken in London to news of the shocking terrorist attack in Kashmir, I am appalled by the senseless deaths of so many. New Zealanders’ thoughts are with the people of India at this difficult time,” he said on X.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters condemned the attack in a social media post.

“New Zealand strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Kashmir. We send our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and the Indian people. We stand with our Indian friends at this difficult time,” he said.

ACT Party MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar also sent a message, stating, “This is a tragic act of terror and hate, and I condemn it in the strongest terms. I am shocked and saddened by this senseless violence. My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and all those affected.

High Commission pays respects

The Indian High Commission in Wellington organised a solemn gathering at which more than 200 members of the Indian Diaspora and other community representatives observed two minutes of silence in remembrance of the victims.

High Commissioner Neeta Bhushan said that the attack in Pahalgam was marked by extreme barbarity, with the victims mostly killed with headshots from a close range and in front of their families.

A Statement by India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that family members were deliberately traumatised by the manner of the killing, accompanied by the exhortation that they should take back the message.

“The attack was driven by the objective of undermining the normalcy returning to Jammu & Kashmir. In particular, it was designed to impact the mainstay of the economy, tourism, with a record 23 million tourists visiting the valley last year. The calculation, presumably, was that harming growth and development in the Union Territory would help keep it backward and create fertile ground for continued cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. The manner of the attack was also driven by the objective of provoking communal discord, both in Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the Nation. It is to the credit of the government and the people of India that these designs were foiled.”

Ms Bhushan said that such acts of terrorism must be universally condemned and that the global community must stand united against violence.

NZICA and Veer Khar

New Zealand Indian Central Association (NZICA) President Veer Khar said that the thoughts and sympathies of the Kiwi Indian community were with the people of India.

“NZICA condemns the ghastly killings by terrorists in Kashmir. The Kiwi Indian community is with the people of India in this hour of extreme pain and anguish. It is a very strange situation, where nearly 500,000 displaced people are not able to go back to their homes for the past 36 years but the government is declaring the same area safe for tourists. This attack by the Jihadi cowards indicates that they can strike at will,” he said.

Questions to Modi and Shah

Mr Khar said that it was noteworthy that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Home Minister Amit Shah visited the camps of the displaced people even once.

“This indicates that they have yet to offer them any return package (mainly for safety reasons), and yet the tourists are encouraged to go into far-flung areas,” he said and added that the NZICA is ready to support any family directly affected by this carnage.

The New Zealand chapter of the Global Indian Association held a candlelight vigil in Auckland, where speakers emphasised the need for international cooperation in combating terrorism. The association’s president remarked that the attack was a tragic reminder of the ongoing threat posed by extremist elements and called for stronger measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Indian Association of Manukau NZ

The Seniors of the Indian Association of Manukau New Zealand held a condolence meeting at the Diversity Centre in Papatoetoe on April 29, 2025 “to pay tributes to the martyrs of the Pahalgam attack.

The Seniors represented Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab and West Bengal.

As well as lighting candles paying tribute to those killed in the terrorist attack, they spoke about the sufferings of the families who lost their men in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. “It was a time to reflect Unity in Diversity,” they said.

The Hindu Council of New Zealand

The Hindu Council of New Zealand (HCNZ) called on the global community “to take unequivocal stands against such acts of violence.”

HCNZ National Spokesperson Nitika Sharma said that the Pahalgam attack reflects a chilling pattern of religiously motivated violence, where peaceful citizens, merely because of their faith, are subjected to horrific brutality.

“The premeditated nature of the attack, where victims were reportedly asked to disclose their religious identity, highlights the systematic targeting of Hindus; a disturbing echo of past atrocities. This is not just an attack on individual lives but on the universal values of freedom of religion, diversity, and human dignity. It is also a reminder that religious extremism and terror remain significant threats to peace and security, not only in Bharat but around the globe,” she said.

Ms Sharma said that the Hindu community worldwide is in mourning.

“As a Diaspora rooted in the rich heritage of Sanatana Dharma, which teaches Ahimsa (Non-Violence), Karuna (Compassion), And Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family), we are deeply aggrieved that such hatred continues to claim innocent lives.  Any form of violence against civilians, especially when driven by religious or ethnic hatred, must be denounced in the strongest possible terms,” she said.

The Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand

The Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand strongly condemned the attack.

“It is imperative to question who is behind this and what the motive could be. Such acts are beyond human conscience. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we stand with them in this difficult time, Society President Daljit Singh said.

Aotea Square Auckland

About a hundred men and women assembled at Auckland’s Aotea Square on April 22, 2025, for a candlelight vigil, standing in solidarity with the victims of terror attacks.

Rahul Chopra, who was one of the organisers, said that the terrorist attacks have shaken the Indian community in New Zealand.

“The victims were tourists who were on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir to enjoy and now they are not coming back home. As all of us are Indians at heart, we have come together to stand in solidarity with our homeland,” he said.

Former MPs Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Mahesh Bindra urged the Indian government to take decisive action against those responsible for the terrorist attacks.

“The mood of every Indian today is that people responsible for this should be brought to justice,” Mr Bakshi said.

Mr Bindra said, “Terrorists of this world, whoever and wherever they are, should know that they are dealing with New India. When New India retaliates, it will hurt,” he said.

IAMNZ Former President Dr Primla Khar was emotional.

“What happened in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025 has brought back memories of utterly senseless violence, which we Kashmiris have faced for decades. We have gathered here today to tell our motherland India that we are with you, no matter what,” she said.

Candle Vigil in Christchurch

Shirish Paranjape

Our Christchurch Correspondent reports:

Ethnic communities in Christchurch gathered on May 3, 2025, for a vigil to honour the victims of the recent terror attack on tourists in Kashmir.

Organised by the Christchurch Bengali Community Inc the event brought together Non-Resident Indians and representatives of various ethnic organisations.

Labour MPs Megan Woods and Duncan Webb attended the meeting while National MPs Matt Doocey, Nicola Grigg, Vanessa Weenink and Hamish Campbell issued a joint statement, in which they said, “New Zealand condemns the terrorist attack in Kashmir. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected.”

Held at the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch’s City Centre, the vigil witnessed people from various ethnic backgrounds, including families with young children.

Christchurch Bengali Community Inc Society Chairperson Arpan Mandal said, “We condemn this premeditated and cold-blooded act that killed 26 people and injured more than 20 others. Terrorism and violence have no place in civil society, and we stand in solidarity with the innocent. This brutal act of terror has united the world and galvanised support for the Indian government to hold those responsible accountable, ensuring justice for the victims and their families. Our hearts are with the families whose lives were so cruelly ended by bullets.”

Several families in attendance had lost relatives or friends in the Pahalgam attack.