Angry protests held against Modi’s visit

LONDON: Thousands of demonstrators protested over two days against Narendra Modi’s controversial visit to the UK and criticised the British government for trading human rights with business deals.
Protests were held over two days outside 10 Downing Street where Modi held talks with Prime Minister David Cameron and at the Wembley Stadium where the Indian prime minister appeared for a Diwali reception.
Protestors chanted “Narendra Modi go home”, “Modi killer of minorities” and “Modi not welcome”.Sikhs, Tamils, Gujaratis, Nepalese, Kashmiris, Dalits, women groups and Christians came together to condemn Modi and his actions against the most vulnerable communities.
Narendra Modi clearly heard the chants for an “independent Khalistan”, “Modi is a terrorist”, “Modi is fascist” and “free Kashmir” when he reached 10 Downing Street and also when he reached the Parliament Square for visiting the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. It was an unprecedented turnout of protestors on two consecutive days despite bad weather.
PTI leader Barrister Sultan especially attended these rallies and played a key role in mobilising the community and campaigned for this protest for nearly a week. Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Rasheed Turabi also attended the protests along with Sikh leaders and others.
Barrister Sultan told The News that “an unprecedented number of Kashmiris” had turned out to condemn Modi and his murderous campaign against Kashmiris.“30 MPs and Lords have submitted a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron calling on him to condemn Indian government and demand an end to the occupation of Kashmir. It’s now time to say enough is enough. Kashmiris want freedom and will not settle for anything less than that.”
Sikh demonstrators said that they still await justice for the genocide of Sikhs at the Golden Temple. They said that Sikh holy scriptures have routinely been desecrated, but no action has been taken against the perpetrators

of crimes against Sikhs. They said that thousands of Sikhs remain in prison and Indian intelligence agencies persecute them at all levels.
South Asian Solidarity Group, a campaigning group comprised Indian groups, said that Modi had changed the face of India. Amrit Wilson told The News, “Under the Hindutva fascism of Narendra Modi’s party rigid rules are being enforced on what people should and should not eat, whom they should and should not love . These rules have been used as a pretext to kill, lynch and rape. We also wished to project the fact that India has a syncretic culture - our music, dance and theatre has always been a wonderful mingling of influences and this is what the BJP wishes to destroy, replacing it with a scripted, narrow and rigid understanding of Indian culture which is enforced with brutal violence. We stand by the many artists, writers, film-makers and scholars who have returned their awards in protest against the murders of rationalists and the violence against religious minorities and Dalits which is being promoted by Narendra Modi’s government.”
Nepalese protestors said that India had sieged the country and had blocked the whole country. They said that India believed in regional hegemony and it was time to expose India before the world. They said that Amnesty International and other rights groups have accused Modi government of fostering a climate that has encouraged growing religious violence.
Gujarati Muslims said that they were waiting for justice since 2002 when more than 2000 were killed. They said that plight of Muslims in India has worsened. They said that Modi was involved in genocide of minority communities all over the country.
Dabinderjit Singh of the Sikh Federation (UK), said: “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 he Dalit community in India? Where will we go? We think that Britain inviting Modi here is showing support for the human rights abuses against women in India.”
Speaking to The News, George Galloway said that Narendra Modi “has blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands” and it was a shame that UK was rolling out red carpet for him. “Modi is not welcome in London,” Mr Galloway said. “He is the killer of Muslims, Sikhs, low caste Hindus and Dalits. He should be in a jail. Simple.”Protestors will gather again outside the Wembley stadium when he appears there for a Diwali reception.