Human rights activists and several socio-religious forums are campaigning to stage huge protests at Downing Street and Wembley to mar the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A massive projection of Narendra Modi holding a sword in one hand and a shield with the ‘Om’ symbol with a swastika superimposed appeared on the Houses of Parliament next to the iconic Big Ben.
The Awaaz Network is spearheading the protest. Others joining the ‘Modi Not Welcome’ team are South Asia Solidarity Group, Sikh Federation UK, Southall Black Sisters, Dalit Solidarity Network UK, Indian Muslim Federation, Indian Workers Association, Muslim Parliament and Voice of Dalit International.
“(Narendra Modi) wants to sell the idea of a ‘digital India,’ a ‘clean India’ and a developed and self-sufficient India,” a spokesperson for the Awaaz Network said.
“The reality is the unleashing of a violence packed authoritarian agenda that seeks to undermine India’s democratic and secular fabric.”
The visit is seen as an opportunity to help “break down the wall between the Indian state and many Sikhs outside India,” the Sikh Human Rights Group said.
It has sent five proposals to New Delhi, including abolishing ‘blacklists’ of Sikhs living abroad who cannot travel to India, release of prisoners held for political reasons, and a dialogue between the Indian government and Sikhs based abroad.
Scotland Yard was meanwhile placing a ‘policing plan’ to deal with protests. There is some concern in official circles about the security aspect of Modi’s visit, after a Sikh demonstration at the Indian high commission last week led to some violence and traffic jams in central London for some hours.
At the same time Nobel laureate Amartya Sen wants Britain to welcome Modi this week, but also to use the occasion to question him on recent events in India that have caused some concern about tolerance.
Speaking at the London School of Economics at a launch event for his book, ‘The Country of First Boys,’ Sen said he voted against Modi but he did not expect the situation to take “such naked a form as it has taken” under his government.
High profile Indians were diverting from their planning for the visit, due to the death of Lord Swaraj Paul’s son from a mysterious fall from his penthouse in central London.
