As 'Howdy Modi' event takes centrestage, protesters being crowdfunded to participate in anti-India protests in Houston

As the stage is set for 'Howdy Modi' event at Houston's sprawling NRG stadium where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing on Sunday, some fringe groups backed by Pakistan are planning to organise anti-India protests at various places in the city.

Indian netizens have voiced their concerns on social media that scores of protesters are being bussed in by organisers from designated spots like mosques and Islamic centres across Houston to protest against Modi and US President Donald Trump, who will also be present in the 'Howdy Modi' event.

A tweet posted by British columnist Katie Hopkins shows 13 pickup locations for the demonstrators from different mosques and Islamic centres situated within the city.

"Mass protest being organised for #HowdyModi event. SUPRISE SUPRISE the bus pick-ups for those protesting against Modi & Trump are the mosques of #Houston. See how this works yet? Mosques are not simple places of worship. They are places of co-ordination & control," the journalist wrote in the post with the hashtag #STOPTHEBUS.

With Pakistan failing to get international traction to raise the Kashmir issue ever since India abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August, Islamabad has been making futile and desperate attempts to globally publicise the strictly bilateral matter.

On Thursday, Islamabad suffered a fresh blow when Pakistan failed to garner the required support at the 42nd UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva to place a resolution on Kashmir within the stipulated deadline of 1 pm (local time), in a diplomatic victory for New Delhi.

Reliable sources told ANI that most member states refused to support Pakistan for placing a resolution on Kashmir.

Though Pakistan had made desperate attempts to garner the required support, the neighbour also failed to get the support of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries consisting of 57 member states.

India has repeatedly made it clear that its constitutional decisions on Kashmir is an internal matter -- a stand supported by several countries, including those from the Arab world.

The 'Howdy Modi' event will be one of the largest events to welcome a foreign head of government ever in the history of the US. It will also mark the first time that the two leaders would meet outside of either capital Washington DC or New York, where the United Nations (UN) is headquartered.

Over 50,000 people have already been registered for the event, which will be hosted by the Texas India Forum.

Modi will also address the UN General Assembly and will participate in several bilateral and multi-lateral meetings during his nearly week-long visit to the US.