Indian students, activists protest against CAA, NRC outside High Commission in London
Amid poems, music, speeches, theatre workshops and sing-alongs, a 12-hour sit-in was organised by South Asian Students Against Fascism, UK, and SOAS India Society staged at the India High Commission in London on January 8 in solidarity with the nationwide trade union strike in India.
The sit-in was a voice of many organisations and students coming together to stand against alleged oppression and violence against minorities, opposition to NRC and CAA and express solidarity with the people of Kashmir, Assam, JNU, AMU and minorities.
NRC, CAA and NPR are not only anti-Muslim, but they are anti-poor and anti-working people. They’re against all people who do not stake claims to land by virtue of owning property, said Tania Bhattacharyya, a post-doctoral researcher at Harvard University.
Around 200 people, who participated in the protest, demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah. They also called for the restoration of internet and withdrawal of troops from Northeast and Kashmir. The protesters asked for an immediate repeal of the CAA, immediate release and medical care to Chandrashekhar Azad, Akhil Gogoi.
The vibrant environment turned into sombre resolve when the group sang ‘hum honge kamayaab’.
In a statement to India Today, Annapurna Menon, a PhD scholar at the University of Westminster, said, Hindutva has infiltrated diaspora politics in the UK. Narendra Modi himself repeatedly came to the UK to raise funds and mobilise on behalf of the RSS back in India,
The group was joined by activists from the London Mining Network, London Anti-Fascist Assembly, and GBM Trade Union along with anti-fascist activists from Kurdistan and Iran.
Summing up, Satpal Muman of CasteWatch UK said, This demonstration is sending a clear message to the Indian government that the rise of totalitarianism, dictatorship and fascism is not to be tolerated.
The protest was peaceful.
