By TwoCircles.net, Staff reporter
London: A demonstration have been planned at Downing Street in London to protest Narendra Modi when he arrives in the UK on Thursday November 12th. A series of events in different cities of the USA is also planned that ranges from supporting Plural India to ending “State terror against minorities in India.” At the last count USA events were scheduled for Chicago, Boston, New York, and Washington DC.
The growing number of protests and events shows the increased concerns for violence against minorities, Dalits, and intellectuals that has increased after Modi-led NDA formed the government at the Centre. Controversial statements from BJP leaders, MPs, and Ministers have added to an environment where violence against the marginalized has come to be seen as acceptable by the authorities.
To get their voice heard and highlight the track record of Narendra Modi, Awaz Network, one of the group protesting Modi in the UK projected an image of Modi holding a sword in one hand and shield with Om and Swastika on the Houses of the Parliament next to the iconic Big Ben in London. Above the image read the text “Modi Not Welcome.”
As a spokesperson from one of the constituent groups South Asia Solidarity Group commented ‘The projection represents the fascistic ideology which Modi and the RSS – admirers of Hitler – stands for. On the day when voters in Bihar decisively rejected Modi’s anti-people politics of hate, this demonstrates that Modi will get the same message of rejection from a large section of Indians abroad and all those who care about human rights violations. He can no longer peddle the myth of NRI adulation to try and bolster his image at home’
Meanwhile, CasteWatchUK, an organization working against caste discrimination and caste crimes has announced that it would be participating in the anti-Modi demonstration planned at Downing Street on November 12th midday.
Expressing, “its profound concern about the marked deterioration of Human Rights in India since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Narendra Modi came to power” a press release issued by CasteWatchUK says, “There has, in particular, been an acute escalation of barbaric attacks on Dalits which are a direct result of the upper-caste Hindu supremacist ideology of the BJP. We note that it is against this background that Mr Modi has decided to visit the UK.”
As part of his PR ploy to woo Dalit voters in Bihar Mr Modi had earlier announced that during his UK visit he would visit Dr B. R. Ambedkar’s house in London, where the Dalit icon lived, and would formally inaugurate it.
Condemning the move as “cynical PR exercise” the press release quotes CateWatchUK’s Chairman Mr Muman as saying, “We regard Modi’s planned inauguration of Ambedkar House as a cynical PR exercise which aims merely to show the world that he cares about the Dalit community. However, it is also an insult to the memory of Ambedkar. There is a danger that the continued hero-worship of Prime Minister Modi will move the country down a slippery slope towards dictatorship and fascism.”
Mr. Modi is expected to address a gathering of Indians at the Wembley Stadium. Perhaps a sign of waning popularity of Modi that the offical facebook page of Modi’s visit to the UK- UKWelcomesModi has so far gathered only 14 thousand likes. Similarly, the twitter handle @UKWelcomesModi had managed to get only 2,208 followers at the time of writing this report.
Mr. Modi faced similar protests when he visited the USA past September. The activists there led protests and made #ModiFail trend on twitter. The organization, Alliance For Justice And Accountability (AJA) that led the protest in the USA last time as well as other organizations are once again doing a series of events in Boston, Chicago, New York and Washigton DC to protest increased environment of intolerance.
Links of the protests planned:
London: https://www.facebook.com/events/1505573329757934/
Boston: https://www.facebook.com/events/934696693246625/
Chicago: https://www.facebook.com/events/1098721270139744/
New York: https://www.facebook.com/events/1490964604538942/
Washigton DC: https://www.facebook.com/events/1131829050171984/