By Raqib Hameed Naik and A Misrab, TwoCircles.net,
London: Narendra Modi’s first visit to the UK has been marred by series of protest from a number of human rights, religious and social groups in London.
Starting today, Modi is on three-day visit to the UK during which he will meet UK’s PM David Cameron, Queen Elizabeth II and sign business deals worth billions of dollars, but his arrival was overshadowed by protests over a perceived rise in intolerance back home.
Modi is Hitler #LondonRejectsModism #ModiNotWelcome pic.twitter.com/8pgOIarYQA
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaGeoNews) November 12, 2015
Modi was greeted by noisy protests outside Downing Street as he arrived for talks with David Cameron.
Several hundred protesters representing Gujarati, Sikh, Tamil, Kashmiri, Nepali and women groups chanted ‘Modi Go Home’ and ‘David Cameron Shame Shame’ when the Indian Prime Minister was being welcomed around lunchtime on Thursday, reported The Gaurdian newspaper.
A delegation of Sikh protesters waved black flags and accused Modi of genocide in a provocative banner that also bore an image of Hitler.
And they saying modi is another Hitler …covering this protest live follow for more updates #ModiNotWelcome #MODI pic.twitter.com/oKTGP1mv0G
— ️Ihtisham ul haq (@iihtishamm) November 12, 2015
“People genuinely fear the direction Narendra Modi is taking the country in terms of the impact on religious and ethnic minorities. What happens to the hundreds of millions of Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and the Dalit community in India? Where will we go?” Dabinderjit Singh, principal advisor of the Sikh Federation (UK) told The Guardian.
“We think that Britain inviting Modi here is showing support for the human rights abuse against women in India,’ said Camille Rouse of the Newham Asian Women’s Project, which works with victims of honour-based violence in East London. She said Modi had done nothing to challenge ongoing abuses against women in India. ‘He just looks the other way while women are being abused.” he added
The Kashmiri diaspora living in Europe has also called for a “Kashmir Freedom March” across Europe on November 12-13 during the PM’s visit.
.From #London in Solidarity while #ModiInUK #ModiNotWelcome cc @makesyoucakes @_sufiyana_ @reachxdias @TCNLive pic.twitter.com/7uRatLhrjZ
— Mahtab Alam (@MahtabNama) November 12, 2015
“India has been holding J&K at the behest of brute force. It has unleashed a reign of terror on the citizens in Kashmir. We want the world community to take a note of it and press for the resolution of Kashmir issue as per the wishes of its natives.” Najib Afsar, Chief Co-ordinator of JKLC (UK) said in a statement.
Another group behind organizing anti Modi demonstration, the secular Awaaz Network, said:
“The swastika, the ‘Om’ sign in Hinduism, indicated Modi’s alleged use of religious symbols for authoritarian ends. I think it sent a clear message that a large part of the Indian community here rejects the politics of hate and intolerance, wherever it takes place,” Suresh Grover, one of the organisers from Awaaz Network told ibtimes.
Ahead of his arrival, more than 200 writers including Salman Rushdie and Ian McEwan had signed an open letter to Cameron urging him to raise concerns about freedom of expression in India during his talks with Modi.
Modi is also expected to face strong questions related with Human Rights abuses in India during a meet with UK’s labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, UK’s daily reported.
Modi is scheduled to meet Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Saturday. UK’s daily Mirror reports that during this private meeting Corbyn will challenge Modi on his Human Rights record.
Corbyn along with 40 more MPs have also urged Cameron to raise Human Rights with Modi when they meet. In October a signed common motion was tabled in parliament by Corbyn raising concerns about India’s human rights record under Modi.
Among other issues, the Motion also calls for the release of number of political prisoners held by the Indian, condemns the ban on Indian Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai from coming to the UK to address British MPs, and questions the Indian government’s ban on the BBC’s documentary ‘India’s Daughter’. The motion also cites an Amnesty International special report on human rights atrocities in Kashmir.
Previously also, Corbyn had raised similar issues regarding Modi. He sponsored a motion in 2013, calling on the UK’s Home Department to reinstitute the ban on Modi, citing “his role in the communal violence in 2002” in Gujarat.