Hindutva fascism in Britain – People in Canada stand in solidarity with British South Asians against this menace

Montreal, September 29, 2022. A number of South-Asian diaspora organizations across Canada stand in solidarity with British South Asians against Hindutva fascism.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other Hindutva groups in Leicester, UK, are encouraging violent conflict within the South Asian community. Hundreds of masked men marched through a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood shouting the slogan “Jai Sri Ram”, used by Hindu supremacist mobs linked to the Narendra Modi government, which have repeatedly attacked Muslims in India. Many men were transported to Leicester from the nearby boroughs of Wembley, Harrow and elsewhere. Among the henchmen were far-right white fascists.

Since 2014, Modi, who in 2002 as Chief Minister of Gujarat presided over the genocide of Muslims (women – some pregnant – children and men) is now the Prime Minister of India. After coming to power, Modi’s government has systematically suppressed political dissent and undermined India’s secular democracy. Journalists, professors, human rights activists, students, etc. have been silenced and imprisoned without trial.

The events in Leicester are a manifestation of the growing brazenness of Modi’s supporters in the South Asian diaspora, which includes Canada, who assume that they can enjoy the same impunity as Modi and his Hindutva ideology counterparts in India.

As people of South Asian origin, we express our solidarity with those who are being attacked and threatened in Britain, and we want to draw attention to how this scourge of Hindutva fascism is spreading its tentacles outside India.  We are very concerned about the spread of Hindu right wing extremism here. The Canadian government must take note of this hatred and condemn it.

CERAS (Centre on South Asia), Montreal
ICWI-Canada (India Civil Watch International-Canada)
SADAC (South Asian Diaspora Action Collective), Montreal
SADAN (South Asian Dalit and Adivasi Network), Canada
SANSAD (South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy), Vancouver