Indian Americans - individuals and community groups - continue to strongly condemn the events of January 6 when supporters of President Donald Trump stormed and breached the iconic US Capitol and indulged in violence, leaving five people dead and say this was not "true America". 

“The violent attack on the United States Capitol was disgusting. This act of sedition, stoked by Donald Trump, is a threat to our country and to every American’s rights and wellbeing. It must not be tolerated,” said Ajay Bhutoria, national finance committee member of President-elect Joe Biden 2020, and one of the vice-chairs of the Presidential Inauguration Committee.

He said the scenes of chaos at the Capitol does not reflect the "true America".

“The United States of America built the most powerful economy in the world in no small part due to the stability of our government and the peaceful transfer of power we have enjoyed for generations,” he was quoted by the media.

Hundreds of pro-Trump rioters swarmed the US Capital, broke through barricades, and forced Congress to evacuate parts of the building, abruptly bringing a ceremonial event affirming that Biden won the November election.

Describing it as “shameful,” Dr. Sampat Shivangi, President of the Indian American Forum for Political Education (IAFPE) and a delegate for Trump, called the events as “shameful, shocking and unprecedented in the history of once upon a beacon of democracy on the planet.”

A veteran leader of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), Dr. Shivangi said: “Even though I am a strong Republican and longtime serving US Republican Party delegate for the last four Republican Party conventions, I would not support a bit in any fashion,” he was quoted by The Universal News Network.

He said Trump has promised for a smooth transfer of power on January 20. ”..with that in mind it is time for healing and I feel President-elect Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris should be magnanimous to accept that offer and initiate the first few steps in that process that will bring sanity and respect that the US has lost in the world community.”

Dr. Navin C. Shah, former President of AAPI, said, “The unlawful entry and banalization of the Capitol Hill, the temple of the US democracy is totally unacceptable. These culprits be immediately caught and brought to justice. The authorities of the Capitol Hill complex should take urgent actions to inhibit such mob violence.”

Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) in a statement condemned in the strongest terms the assault on the Capitol by “extremists” in a misguided attempt to overturn the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.

Dr. Hetal Gor, a board-certified physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, in New Jersey described the events as “unconstitutional, unbelievable, unimaginable, and unpatriotic.”

She said in the midst of pandemic, a rally was called on the day of electoral vote certification “with the sole purpose of stopping the count.”

“Years of brainwashing, spreading misinformation, without any evidence calling the election rigged when most judges have confirmed no irregularities, instigating the crowd to march to Capitol was homegrown terrorism. Months back telling white supremacy groups to stand by, putting pressure on Vice President Pence to act unlawfully and unconstitutionally. 

"..All this for a selfish man’s injured pride. One man has caused so much damage to this country, bringing it shame, despair, dividing people, abusing power, disgracing the office."

Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), condemned the behavior of the rioters as “deplorable”, and said President Trump, who has refused to accept his defeat, should have gracefully accepted the election results and handed over the power in a smooth transition.

Kanchana Poola, past president of New York Tamil Sangam, said the day “will go down in the history as the worst act by citizens, encouraged by a sitting President who is unfit to be the leader, whose false claims of stolen votes.”

Dr. Mathew Joys, Vice Chair of Indo-American Press Club, called the riots by Trump supporters, including some of Indian origin as “unfortunate.”

“The Indian flag was flown at the Capitol Building by a man I knew personally. Participating in such a rally or bearing an Indian national flag, can only be viewed as a demonstration of our solidarity to the party or to the nation that feeds us," he was quoted by The Universal News Network.