Indian diaspora in Europe slams Delhi violence

Kolkata: The members of the Indian diaspora in Europe, mostly students and working professionals, took part in a simultaneous demonstration — from 12.30pm to 5pm on Saturday — across 15 European cities, including Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, Hague, Hamburg, Helsinki, Krakow, London, Munich, Paris and Stockholm to show solidarity to the victims of the violence in Delhi.The demonstration condemned the Delhi violence, the provocative hate speech by BJP leader Kapil Mishra and the inaction by the state and police in abetting the mob. The protesters across Europe chose white rose against the fascist forces and send out a message of peace. Some cities chose to protest silently with posters and placards whereas others like Geneva, Krakow protested by reciting poems, singing songs and reading out the Preamble. Human rights activists and journalists of Europe also took part in the demonstration. Deep Roy, Phd student of Hydraulic Engineering at University of Pisa, said, “The riots in Delhi are clear example of how far the divisive rhetoric practised by the saffron brigade has poisoned the society. I am shocked at the sheer scale of devastation and loss of human life. We strongly condemn the purposeful inaction by the home ministry to curb the situation.”A research scholar in Geneva said, “The video footages of places of worship, especially mosque, shops, homes being vandalized, burnt and razed to the ground are disturbing. The reports of journalists recounting their horror was hard to believe as something of this magnitude can happen in a democratic, secular country. The protest is also an integrated attempt to bring the issue to the attention of EU leaders, members.”About 70 individuals, students from India studying in Europe as well as residents of Europe, have written an open letter to the Government of India raising concerns on the current state of lawlessness and lack of personal liberty prevailing in India and demanded immediate withdrawal of CAA and pan-India NRC to protect the secular and humanitarian ethos of Constitution. Ida Venditti, a political science student at University of Pisa, said: “Indian Constitution is at risk and so is civil society. The act is discriminatory as is being used as a weapon against its own people.”