Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States is a lot more than the pomp and show that making the rounds on all TV news channels, which are portraying is like an unending celebrative fest. Though his visit is being depicted as one where he has been greeted with adulation by the Indian diaspora, there is another reality which is being only showcased on independent media and social media.
For example, there were protests demonstrated through unique ways such this truck that was doing the rounds on the streets of New York City; which had digital images on it:
On the streets of Washington DC as well there was podium with the banner “India’s democracy in danger” where Aakashi Bhatt, the daughter of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt who has bene incarcerated on charges of custodial death of a person, spoke. His daughter said, “Today while we stand here talking about democracy, I think people outside of the country do not quite understand that democracy as we know it has ceased to exist in India.All the pillars of democracy have been subverted by this regime”
“Today while we stand here talking about democracy, I think people outside of the country do not quite understand that democracy as we know it has ceased to exist in India..all the pillars of democracy have been subverted by this regime.” @aakashibhatt in Washington, DC today. pic.twitter.com/OVkQbycEL7
— Malini Ranganathan (@maliniranga) June 22, 2023
Roja Suganthy Singh, president of the Dalit Solidarity Forum also spoke on the same podium and she said, “Violence against Dalit women remain unreported and higher prevalence of gang rape against Dalit women”. She also mentioned the Hathras gang rape of 2020 and said, “those accused are roaming free right now. They lit the tongue of the young girl but for every tongue that is slit thousand more tongues will speak up the story”. She also called Hindutva “a corrosive state of mind”.
“The Internarional Dalit Soldarity Network states that violence against Dalit women remains unreported.”
Roja Suganthy Singh, president of the Dalit Solidarity Forum, on caste and gender-based violence and Hindutva as a “coercive state of mind.” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nEHmNuRFBu
— Malini Ranganathan (@maliniranga) June 22, 2023
There were also people on the streets bringing up the violence in the north eastern state of Manipur, holding up placards such as “We want peace in Manipur” “Save Manipur” “Why PM Modi silent” “Real Hindus don’t lynch”
Power to all those protesting Modi in NYC today 👊🏾 pic.twitter.com/DqBEQzhJ8K
— Arjun Sethi (@arjunsethi81) June 21, 2023
Modi’s first Press Conference
Modi’s answer to a question on steps taken to improve the condition of religious minorities has also faced criticism for being generic and in most parts irrelevant to the question. He clearly evaded speaking about Muslims and their persecution. He answered only two questions from the media at the press meet which went like this:
Question: What steps is the Indian government planning to take to improve the rights of Muslims, and other religious minorities, in India and to uphold free speech?
Answer: I am actually really surprised. India is indeed a democracy. And, as President Biden also mentioned, for both India and America, democracy is in our DNA, democracy is our spirit. Democracy runs in our veins. We live democracy. And, our ancestors have actually put words to this concept, and that is in the form of our constitution.
Our government has taken the basic principles of democracy, and on that basis, our constitution is made, and the entire country runs on that.
Our constitution and our government have always proved that democracy can deliver. And when I say deliver, it is regardless of caste, creed, religion and gender. There’s no…absolutely no space for discrimination. And, when you talk of democracy, if there are no human values, and there’s no humanity, there’s no human rights, then, it’s not a democracy.
When we have accepted democracy, there’s absolutely no space for discrimination. That’s why India believes in moving ahead with everybody we trust, and everybody’s efforts. These are the foundational principles, which are the basis for how we operate and how we live our lives.
In India, the benefits that are provided by the government are accessible to all, whoever deserves those, it is available to everyone. That’s why in India’s democratic values, there’s absolutely no discrimination; not on the basis of caste, creed, age or any kind of geographic location.
Lawmakers abstain
Apart from social media also, the abstention of the three lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from the joint congressional address was also worth taking note. The three lawmakers abstained stating that Modi-led union government in India has repressed religious minorities’. They also alleged that the Modi government has emboldened violent Hindu nationalist groups and that there is lesser press freedom, restrictions on minority religious rights and other forms of discrimination and backsliding.
Tlaib said in her tweet, “It’s shameful that Modi has been given a platform at our nation’s capital—his long history of human rights abuses, anti-democratic actions, targeting Muslims & religious minorities, and censoring journalists is unacceptable. I will be boycotting Modi’s joint address to Congress.”
It’s shameful that Modi has been given a platform at our nation’s capital—his long history of human rights abuses, anti-democratic actions, targeting Muslims & religious minorities, and censoring journalists is unacceptable.
I will be boycotting Modi’s joint address to Congress.
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) June 20, 2023
While Omar said, “Prime Minister Modi’s government has repressed religious minorities, emboldened violent Hindu nationalist groups, and targeted journalists/human rights advocates with impunity. I will NOT be attending Modi’s speech.”
Prime Minister Modi’s government has repressed religious minorities, emboldened violent Hindu nationalist groups, and targeted journalists/human rights advocates with impunity.
I will NOT be attending Modi’s speech.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 20, 2023
Discuss human rights, lawmakers tell Biden
Further, 75 Democratic senators and members of the House of Representatives wrote to US President Joe Biden that he must discuss human rights with Modi. This letter was led by U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal and Senator Chris Van Hollen and it stated, “As longtime supporters of a strong U.S.-India relationship, we also believe that friends can and should discuss their differences in an honest and forthright way. That is why we respectfully request that — in addition to the many areas of shared interests between India and the U.S. — you also raise directly with Prime Minister Modi areas of concern.”
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