Hello Telugu Cultural Association ( TCA ) of Houston , Community,
What we are about to share with you is quite disheartening to us and gives a great deal of pain to our family and friends. It is a black day for every single person who believes in democratic values and principles. Our son, Raghu Kanithi, is a 25-year-old grad student with a positive outlook about life and everything that it has to offer. He is enthusiastic and exuberant raring to set his journey of life in a direction that not only benefits him personally but in some way, serves the community at large. He filed nomination for TCA executive committee to do his part in promoting Telugu language and culture and also to reach out to youngsters like him and inspire them and bring them closer to TCA.
We believed in TCA's objectives and its nonpolitical and nonprofit status. More than that, we believed in the organization and had faith in the people who are running it. His nomination was validated by the Election Commission and thanks to all the Telugu community in Houston, he was voted to the committee by the people's mandate given in a fair and transparent manner. The result was announced on Jan 13th evening, at the Sankranthi Event in front of the General body. On Jan 20th, an official newsletter was sent out to the same General body that he has been disqualified. No valid reason or documented proof was stated. But what left us completely shocked and utterly humiliated was, The TCA trustees who took the final decision, did not even have the basic civility to inform us or our son before it was made public. "This is a stab in the back, not just to us or our son personally, but to the democratic process itself". TCA trustees proved through their irresponsible action that democracy has gone "FAR" from the people and it is " OFF" the people. we, who take pride that we come from the world's largest democracy and that we have been residing in one of the oldest democracies in the world, had to face such a harsh and unrealistic and undemocratic episode from people whom we call our leaders is disappointing, disheartening and deprive us from placing our trust in the organization itself.
I request all of you to sign the petition to call for an Emergency TCA General Body meeting and bring justice to this unfair treatment.
Sincerely,
Eswara Rao Kanithi and Family.
