Page 24 - The Indian EYE 031221

NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline MARCH 12, 2021 | The Indian Eye 24

enough is enough, says tom lankey

about revelations in racist flyer case

Edison, NJ, mayor seeks justice after Ajay Patil names Mahesh Baghia and

Satish Poondi as masterminds of the controversy

Mayor Tom lankey Satish Poondi

Our Bureau Township of Edison, said: “I was advance of an interview with of Education, about the legality
appalled to read a transcript in U.S. Postal Inspector David of the mailing, the report said.
Edison, NJ the NJ Globe this weekend that Comer. “We need to have the Poondi’s alleged role in the

jay Patil, a two-term Dem- detailed the conspiracy by Edi- same story telling,” Patil said on scandal puts New Jersey Attor-
ocratic councilman, has son elected officials and promi- a tape of the meeting obtained ney General Gurbir Grewal in a
Aidentified two prominent nent members of our community by the New Jersey Globe. potentially precarious position
Democrats as the masterminds to sow division and racial discord According to the report, since the two are believed to be
behind a conspiracy to distrib- in our town. Now, audio record- the conversation took place at personal friends.
ute a racist flyer during a school ings reveal that members of our Chowpatty, a popular Indian Edison Mayor Thomas Lan-
board campaign in 2017 aimed governing body and their allies restaurant in Edison which had key said that he was told an in-
at instilling fear among Asian knew full-well who was respon- at least one recording device in vestigation has been opened,
American voters in order to in- sible. The New Jersey Attorney place. Indian Business Associ- but others in the township are
crease voter turnout, according General’s Office investigation ation president Dhiren Amin not sure if that’s the case – and
to a report in New Jersey Globe. into how a racist flyer was circu- and Chandrakant Patel, the wonder if the Grewal-Poondi
Patil identified Democratic lated has been allegedly going on restaurant owner, were at the relationship is the cause, al-
Municipal Chairman Mahesh for more than three years but, to meeting with Patil. though there is no evidence of
Bhagia and Satish Poondi, a date, no one has been held ac- Patel had cooperated with that, the report said.
partner at the Wilentz law firm countable for this horrific hate postal investigators and told “I can assure everyone that
who had chaired the state par- crime. Enough is enough.” Comer that Poondi had re- my Administration will not rest
ty’s South Asian American Cau- “I call on the Middlesex quested to use his restaurant to until all the details surround-
cus co-chairman, as architects of County Prosecutor to take over assemble the mailing, said the ing this unconscionable act are
a “Make Edison Great Again” this long-stagnant investiga- report. uncovered. This act will not be
mailer telling voters that the tion, so that the perpetrators Patil denied being part of the permitted to define our great
“Chinese and Indians are taking can finally be held accountable plot and said the mailing was community. Too many peo-
over our town”, says the report. and so that our community can put together by Bhagia and Ed- ple have worked too hard for
Bhagia was selected last week move past this horrific incident ison Board of Education Pres- too long to make Edison the
as the choice of the local Dem- and begin the difficult process ident Jingwei “Jerry” Shi, who progressively diverse commu-
ocratic organization as their can- of healing,” the mayor said in a was a school board candidate. nity that it is today. A hand-
didate for mayor of Edison, New statement on March 2. Patil told Amin and Pa- ful of deplorable individuals
Jersey’s 5th largest municipality. Patil’s confession came in tel that he questioned Poon- will not change that and must
Reacting to the report, November 2020, when he met di, whose law firm is the bond be brought to justice!” Mayor
Thomas Lankey, the Mayor of with two community leaders in counsel for the Edison Board Lankey said in his statement.

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