UK Indians demand Amit Shah's resignation over anti-Muslim riots in Delhi

LONDON: A large number of Indians protested outside the India High Commission on Saturday demanding the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah, arrest of BJP instigators and justice for the survivors of Delhi pogrom.

The emergency protest was called by South Asia Solidarity Group, SOAS India Society, South Asian Students Against Fascism, Federation of Redbridge Muslim Organisations (FORMO), and Co-ordinating Committee of Malayali Muslims.

Related: UN chief asks India to stop anti-Muslim violence as 38 die in Delhi riots

Carrying banners condemning attacks on Muslims in Delhi by extremist groups BJP and RSS, the protesters called for Shah's resignation over his gross failure to maintain peace. The protesters also called for the arrest of the BJP politicians and leaders who instigated the pogrom – Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Singh Varma. 

They demanded that all the perpetrators of the pogrom be brought to justice; the injured given appropriate medical care and the families of the victim rehabilitated and compensated for the loss of lives and livelihood. The protesters also demanded that the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP government play their constitutional role by taking effective measures to ensure peace and justice for the victims and survivors; that the UK government immediately issues a strong condemnation of the Narendra Modi government for sponsoring the anti-Muslim pogrom in Delhi.

UK's Corbyn condemns violence against Muslims in Delhi

The protesters said that while Modi was feting US President Donald Trump, Delhi was ablaze with anti-Muslim pogrom in which 38 people were killed and hundreds critically injured. 

Vast areas of North East Delhi have been devastated with hundreds displaced, their homes burnt and livelihoods destroyed. The fire of genocidal violence was lit and stoked by the ruling BJP over the last six years but triggered, more immediately, by the poisonous anti-Muslim rhetoric and the 'desh ke gaddaro ko goli maro’ (‘shoot the traitors’) call to action by a series of BJP leaders. 

Many were reminded of the genocidal violence against Sikhs in 1984 and against Muslims in Gujarat in 2002.

The legitimate dissent of ordinary people against a fascistic citizenship law-the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and its accompanying registers of citizenship, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) — which acting together will leave Indian Muslims disenfranchised — and constitute a first step to ethnic cleansing.

“As members of the Indian and South Asian diaspora in the UK, we stand with the survivors of the Delhi pogrom and the courageous anti-CAA movement. We condemn the close relationship between the Boris Johnson government and Modi’s genocidal BJP government. This alliance of far-right regimes has been deepened by the appointment of British Indian Modi supporters including Priti Patel and Rishi Sumak to key cabinet positions,” Nirmala Rajasingam of South Asia Solidarity Group said.

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Nadia Whittome MP said, “The Delhi Pogrom has already killed 38 Indian Muslims, with many injured. This is no accident, Modi has led India here and the horrific scenes in Delhi show BJP ideology in action. British Indians will not be silent.”

The South Asian Students Against Fascism had this to say, "The violence in Delhi must not be seen as a riot. What has happened is a state-sponsored pogrom against the city's Muslim communities. There is a mountain of evidence showing how BJP leaders and their media ecosystem incited mobs to commit violence, how the police either stood by or actively participated in this violence, and how the courts have completely abdicated responsibility."

SOAS India Society was of the opinion, "India is now a fascist Hindu dictatorship where the rule of law has been suspended. If the world does not take note and react urgently, the consequences will be disastrous."

Anjum Mouj of London Black Women’s Project said, “We are shocked by the horrific anti-Muslim pogrom spearheaded by the Hindutva right this week. But we are truly inspired to see that the women of many areas of Delhi have returned to their sit-in protests. These women have been occupying these sites like Shaheen Bagh for the past two months in the bitter North Indian winter cold. We in the UK and across the world must learn from their strength and courage in these turbulent times of increasing fascism.”