Demonstration, Obama raised the question of protection of minorities

All the organizations working for human rights and minority rights have demonstrated against the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who went on a state visit to America. Much has also been written in the American press against Prime Minister Modi, accusing him of undermining democracy in India and pursuing a policy of oppression of minorities. More than seventy MPs have signed an appeal demanding President Joe Biden to talk to Prime Minister Modi on the issue of human rights abuses. On the other hand, former President Barack Obama has said in an interview given to CNN that if he was the President, he would have talked to Prime Minister Modi about the safety of India’s minority Muslims.

Indian Prime Ministers have been invited for a state visit earlier also, but this is the first time that there has been a protest in American cities regarding the violation of human rights and democracy by a Prime Minister. Otherwise, India has always been teaching the whole world in these subjects. But this time the situation is such that banners and posters were put up in New York and Washington addressing PM Modi as the crime minister. From the Indian American Muslim Council in Washington to American citizens of Manipur origin, they expressed concern over the violation of democracy in India by demonstrating.

Meanwhile, several members of the US Congress have announced that they will boycott ‘Hindu supremacist’ Narendra Modi’s address to the joint session of the Parliament, saying that Narendra Modi has undermined democracy in India and has repeatedly violated human rights.

It is noteworthy that a network of seventeen organizations, including the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Hindus for Human Rights and Dalit Solidarity Inc., has directly criticized the Modi-led government for human rights abuses in India, especially against Muslims and Dalits. Holding them responsible, called for protest against the yatra. An open letter was issued on behalf of these organizations to the US government, in which it appealed to take cognizance of the ongoing human rights abuses in India, especially the snatching of civil rights of minorities. Journalists and human rights activists from India also participated in the demonstration organized by these organizations in Washington.

Meanwhile, banners regarding Narendra Modi’s visit were also seen at many places. One such banner had photographs of all political prisoners, including human rights activist Umar Khalid, a student of JNU. The hoarding asks President Joe Biden why he does not ask the Prime Minister of India why student leader and activist Umar Khalid has been jailed for more than 1,000 days without trial.

At the same time, all the journalist organizations and human rights organizations of America have raised the issue of press freedom in India being in danger. The leading American newspaper Washington Post has published the appeal of 8 media organizations there. A poster released in this regard shows journalists who are imprisoned or under house arrest in various jails of India.

Meanwhile, trucks with screens were seen in New York City asking US President Joe Biden to ask Modi tough questions about human rights violations in India.

Last year, a US government report on international religious freedom detailed how hate speech by office bearers of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contributed to anti-Muslim and anti-Christian violence and the party’s criminalization of religious conversion, Muslim Owned demolition is listed. properties, and arbitrary arrests and denial of bail to Muslim activists.

An article by Indian-origin Harvard University professor Maya Jasnoff has been published in the New York Times, in which it has been said that “Americans need to know about Mr. Modi’s India. Armed with a fiery doctrine of Hindu nationalism, Mr Modi has led the country’s most comprehensive assault on democracy, civil society and minority rights in at least 40 years. They have brought prosperity and national pride to some, and authoritarianism and oppression to many others, which should trouble us all.

Networks opposing Prime Minister Mogi include the Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, Dalit Solidarity Inc., World Without Genocide, International Defenders Council, International Society for Peace and Justice, Genocide Watch, Asian Children’s Education Fellowship, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Mission with Para Las Naciones, Church in the Republic of Uruguay, Global Christian Relief, American Sikh Council, Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society, International Commission for Dalit Rights.