Ukraine invasion: Hindu Sena marches in support of Russia!

Hindu Sena marches
Image courtesy: abplive.com

Regular hate offender group Hindu Sena on March 6, 2022 supported a hate-crime of international proportions by supporting Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Members chanted a mix of slogans like ‘Jai Shri Ram’, ‘Bharat-Russia Dosti Zindabad’ with singular explanations for their stand.

Amidst conflict in Ukraine, a right wing group,Hindu Sena(Hindu Army)rallied in support of Russia on Sunday in heart of India’s capital New Delhi.
“Whenever India was in trouble at international level Russia has supported us..if needed Hindu Sena soldiers will fight for Russia” pic.twitter.com/AUyIaFwqj0
— Zafar Aafaq (@ZafarAafaq) March 6, 2022

The RSS-affiliated organisation marched in Connaught Place, central Delhi with saffron, Indian and Russian flags in hand. One Hindu Sena member speaking to local mediapersons, said, “India and Russia are good friends. Whenever India was in trouble at the international level Russia has supported us. If needed, Hindu Sena soldiers will fight for Russia. And Ukraine has always voted against us. India should help Russia in every way.” He went on to say that NATO countries are those of western nations that hinder the progress of Asian countries, completely oblivious to what NATO is and what its objectives are.

As per the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) website, the organisation’s purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. Established after World War II, the NATO has not caused any explicit suffering to Asian countries as implied by the Hindu Sena member.

However, the attack on Ukraine by Russia has been condemned by many countries fearing a third world war following a global pandemic. This includes Russian television channel TV Rain (Dozhd) whose staff resigned on-air, declaring “no to war” in its final live telecast.

Meanwhile, when asked about the students stuck in Ukraine, the member said that all children are in contact with the Indian government and are safe. Again, this is at odds with news reports, stating that over 600 Indian students are stranded at Sumy State University, close to the Russian border. Students have complained that the Indian Embassy in Ukraine neither evacuated them nor gave any assurance to that effect.

Yet, when Ivano Frankivsk National Medical University MBBS student Vaishali Yadav asked for help from the Government of India, was trolled by right-wing media. All of this, after the Ministry of external Affairs reported the death of final year medical student Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar on March 1.

Despite such circumstances, the Hindu Sena maintains its support for Russia with slogans like, “Russia tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare saath hai (Russia fight, we are with you).”

Already on Tuesday, the same group stuck posters on Russian poet Alexander Pushkin’s statue in Delhi that said “Indian Hindus are with Putin and Russia in establishing the Soviet Union. Jai Ho Akhand Russia, Jai Bharat – Hindu Sena”.

The right-wing organisation repeatedly supports instances of aggression. Before the Russia-Ukraine war, it supported the ban of hijab inside classrooms, a controversy that hindered education in Karnataka for at least a month. Before this in 2019, the Hindu Sena even celebrated Queen Victoria’s birth anniversary stating the Britishers brought India together as a nation.