Skip to main content

London School of Economics scholar predicts strong protests against Modi during his maiden visit to Britain

By A Representative
In a clear signal that things may not be smooth for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Britain next week, well-known expert Dr Kalpana Wilson, a visiting fellow in gender theory, globalization and development at the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE), has noted in a blog on the LSE website that several “campaign organisations, academics and individuals are coming together to protest increasing violence against minority groups” in India.
Calling Modi’s decision to address at Wembley stadium in London during his visit “an ‘Olympic style’ extravaganza”, Wilson said, “UK-based South Asian community groups, human rights organisations, women’s organisations, environmental campaigns, academic and student groups and individuals” have organized themselves under the slogan “#ModiNotWelcome to protest the increase in violence against minority groups under the current government.”
“They are also raising questions about Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots while he was Chief Minister and highlighting the current policies of his government which they believe are leading to mass dispossession, loss of livelihoods and the undermining of democratic rights”, Wilson added. The LSE has described her views “personal” not those of the institute.
Recalling how in recent months there have seen “a number of incidents of violence against Muslims, Christians and Dalits by Hindu right-wing organisations in India”, Wilson said, “Perhaps the most widely reported was the murder of 52 year old Mohammed Akhlaq by a mob of around 200 Hindu young men mobilised by a local organisation, the Samadhan Sena (Solution Army) on the pretext of accusations of eating beef.”
“This was followed by a spate of similar incidents in different parts of the country. Other high profile incidents include the case of two young children, Vaibhav, aged 3 and 9 month-old Divya, of a Dalit family who died in an arson attack in Haryana, and the murders of rationalist writers MM Kalburgi and Govind Pansare”, she said.
Noting that these “disturbing trends” are not restricted to India, Wilson said, “The Hindu Right has a network of organisations across the UK. The most significant of these is the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) which is the British wing of India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, a paramilitary organisation formed in the 1920s of which Modi is a former full-time worker.
Disputing HSS’ claim of being a “charitable” organization with “cultural aims”, Wilson said, “The HSS UK is currently being investigated by the British Charity Commission for hate speech against Muslims and Christians. After the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 an investigation by Awaaz suggested HSS and its charity wing Sewa International had been channelling funds to organisations directly involved in carrying out the violence.”
Wilson said, while the UK Welcomes Modi campaign, backed by long term UK-based associates of Modi, Manoj Ladwa, seeks to demonstrate support for the Prime Minister among the 1.6 million-strong Indian community in Britain, “but increasing numbers of people are disturbed by the signs of deepening intolerance in India under Modi.”
“This is reflected in the wide range of dissenting activities which have been taking place in the UK recent weeks. Ahead of Modi’s visit, all the major South Asian and BME women’s organisations in the UK and more than 20 academics concerned with gender violence have written an open letter to Modi drawing attention to ‘the hate crimes, patriarchal violence and misogyny perpetrated by the RSS and its affiliated organizations’,” said Wilson.
She added, “Faculty, students and alumni of Cambridge have written to the vice-chancellor urging him not to host Modi in a planned address to the Senate, noting that the invitation comes at a time when ‘prominent Indian writers and intellectuals are returning their state honours in protest against the ongoing assault on civil liberties and academic freedom under Modi’s government’.”
“Meanwhile”, Wison said, “a petition addressed to Labour MPs Keith Vaz, Steve Pound, and Virendra Sharma, who announced that they would be donating their pay rises for November to help fund the Wembley extravaganza, has been launched. It asks them to reconsider their decision and instead donate the money to survivors of communal violence in India or alternatively to foodbank charities in the UK.”
Wilson further said, “In the run-up to Modi’s arrival, a Reclaim Diwali event will take place on Friday 6 November featuring a range of international artists. The organisers describe it as a ‘secular celebration of shared cultures, blurred boundaries, daring to dream and organising against oppression’ and funds raised will go the survivors of the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.” And on November 10, “a number of London-based student organisations are jointly calling an event at SOAS called ‘We Need to Talk About Modi’.”
“This will culminate in a day of protest at Downing Street and Parliament Square on November 12, which thousands of people are expected to attend from across the country”, Wilson said, adding, this would happen when British Prime Minister David Cameron “is eager to roll out the red carpet for Modi and promote the interests of British corporates.”

Comments

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Overriding India's constitutional sovereignty? Citizens urge PM to reject WHO IHR amendments

By A Representative   A group of concerned Indian citizens, including medical professionals and activists, has sent an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to reject proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) before the ratification deadline of July 19, 2025. 

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.