AAPI Urges Government To Proactively Prevent Attacks on Asian Americans

(Chicago, IL: March 23, 2021) “AAPI wants to express our deep concerns
and anguish about the violence the nation has witnessed against people
of Asian origin,” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President of American
Association of Physicians of India Origin (AAPI) said here today. In a
statement issued here Dr. Jonnalagadda condemned the incidents of
growing violence, and said, “We at AAPI, the largest ethnic medical
organization in the nation, urge the federal, state and local
Governments to make all the efforts possible to prevent violence
against Asian Americans and all those innocent people around the
nation who continue to suffer due to violence, harassment and
discrimination.”

A coalition tracking reports of racism and discrimination against
Asian Americans says it has received at least 3,795 firsthand
complaints since last year. Stop AAPI Hate began tracking violence
and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in March
last year.
From then through the end of 2020, Stop AAPI Hate received a total of
3,292 complaints from all 50 states and Washington, DC, according to a
Stop AAPI Hate news release. There were at least 503 anti-Asian hate
incidents reported between January 1 and February 28 according to the
group's latest report, released last week.

Quoting the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Dr.
Sajani Shah, Chair of AAPI BOT, said, “AAPI recognizes that all human
beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone
is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set out therein, without
distinction of any kind, in particular as to race, color or national
origin. All human beings are equal before the law and are entitled to
equal protection of the law against any discrimination and against any
incitement to discrimination.”

While recognizing the pain and sufferings of the people impacted by
the increasing violence and harassment against Asians and Asians
Americans, especially in the past few months, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula,
President-Elect of AAPI stressed on the need for education. She said,
“We commit to educating ourselves about racism that manifests in our
own community. We will work to address racism and health disparities
through policy and by working with affected communities and the
healthcare providers who serve them. Our fate is linked to the fate of
our fellow citizens, and our work must include lifting up and
supporting all the communities so we can all thrive.”

“We stand in solidarity with peaceful protestors across the nation
condemning the increasing violence and harassment against some
minority groups,” said Dr. Ravi Kolli, Vice President of AAPI. “As
immigrants to the U.S., our families may not always understand this
history, but we join in solidarity with the minority communities and
call for justice and peace.”
“We are saddened by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that
seem to be getting worse each day. AAPI supports the Bills introduced
by two Democratic lawmakers in the House and the Senate calling for
the expedited review of hate crimes related to the pandemic,” ,” said
Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Secretary of AAPI.

Rep. Grace Meng of New York, who sponsored the bill in the House,
said she hopes the legislation tackles the "disgusting pattern of
hate" that Asian Americans are facing since the start of the pandemic.

“We thank and applaud President Joe Biden for condemning the hate and
discrimination that Asian Americans have faced. We support his call
to do what we all as a nation can do to save lives, working with each
other, preventing vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans, who
have been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated," said Dr.
Satheesh Kathula, Treasurer of AAPI

President Biden had said, "At this very moment, so many of them, our
fellow Americans, they're on the front lines of this pandemic trying
to save lives, and still, still they're forced to live in fear for
their lives just walking down streets in America. It's wrong. It's
un-American. And it must stop," he added.

The members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin
(AAPI), an umbrella organization which has nearly 110 local chapters,
specialty societies and alumni organizations, with over 37 years of
history of dedicated services to their motherland and the adopted
land, are appalled at the growing violence against our fellow
citizens, Dr. Jonnalagadda said. “We strongly condemn this ongoing
violence. And we want immediate action against the culprits, who have
been carrying on these criminal acts.” For more information on AAPI,
please visit: www.aapiusa.org