A large image of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wielding a sword with the words ‘Modi not welcome’ was displayed on the British Parliament on Sunday by Indian activists.
The image which was created by the Awaaz Network also bore the Hindu symbol ‘Om’ which slowly changed into the Nazi Swastika. The image stayed on the Palace of Westminster in London for eight and a half minutes.
The Awaaz Network who aim to monitor and combat religious hatred in South Asia and the UK were protesting against Modi’s visit to the UK this week.
“Pulling off visual protest took weeks of planning. The protest was timed to coincide with the Bihar election results, UK’s Remembrance Day that commemorates the fight against facism and the Second World War, and Modi’s visit,” said Suresh Grover, director of The Monitoring Group that is part of the network.
Further, Grover said that the group had its reasons for choosing the British parliament building to stage their protest. “[Mr Modi] has always tried to get legitimacy on the world stage by speaking at parliament. Although he is not speaking at parliament, he has been invited to be in parliament by the Speaker of the House and Mr Cameron. I think it sends a clear message that a large part of the Indian community here reject the politics of hate and intolerance, wherever it takes place – in India, Pakistan, any country in south Asia or this country.”