Thu 22 June 2023:
Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, the city of New York saw trucks with screens beckoning US President Joe Biden to ask the Indian PM tough questions about happenings in India.
An image shared on Twitter showed numerous trucks that had messages written out for Biden.
“Hey Joe, ask Modi why India is under a genocide watch today!”, one of the messages read. One of the screens showed images of political activist Umar Khalid, asking why he had been in a Delhi jail for over 1000 days without trial.
Another image sported the hashtag, #CrimeMinisterOfIndia.
The wrestlers protest that has rocked India for the last few months also found mention on one of the trucks. “Ask Modi why female Olympians were detained while protesting sexual assault by his own minister?” it read.
PHOTOS: Activists protest against the Indian Prime Minister's visit to the United States. Seen in NYC: Hey, Joe Biden, ask #Modi why he was banned from the USA from 2005-2014. #Modi #ModiInUS #ModiInUSA #ManipurBurning pic.twitter.com/hGRYSzHc6t
— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) June 22, 2023
Full-page ad on press freedom in India
In one of the pages of the Washington Post, the Committee to Protect Journalists and its partners took out a full-page ad, criticising the handling of press freedom in India.
“India is the world’s largest democracy, yet it is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media,” the ad said. Journalists face physical violence, harassment, lawsuits, and hate campaigns on social media, it added.
A full-page ad by CPJ and partner organizations in the @washingtonpost on Wednesday highlights the #pressfreedom crisis in #India ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official state visit to the @WhiteHouse.@wppressfreedom @RSF_inter @globalfreemedia @IWMF @JamesFoleyFund pic.twitter.com/nSpVH21NPw
— CPJ Asia (@CPJAsia) June 21, 2023
The ad also demanded that leaders around the world should urge those in power in the country to stop threats against journalists.
Lawmakers boycott Modi’s joint address
US lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Cori Bush have announced their decision to boycott the Prime Minister’s joint address to Congress.
The lawmakers cited human rights violations in India as their reason behind the decision.
“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.” Tlaib tweeted, adding that she would boycott the address.
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
Omar also joined her fellow lawmaker, saying that Modi’s government “repressed religious minorities, emboldened violent Hindu nationalist groups, and targeted journalists/human rights advocates with impunity.”
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
Referring to Modi, Ocasio-Cortez said that a joint address, which is among the most prestigious invitations extended by the US Congress, should not be done for individuals with deeply troubling human rights records.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will boycott Prime Minister Modi's joint address to Congress. pic.twitter.com/DICpt7StvF
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) June 21, 2023
Cori Bush echoed the sentiments of other lawmakers. “Prime Minister Modi has a shameful history of committing human rights abuses, undermining democracy, and targeting journalists. In solidarity with the communities that have been harmed by Modi and his policies, I will be boycotting his joint address to Congress.” she tweeted.
Prime Minister Modi has a shameful history of committing human rights abuses, undermining democracy, and targeting journalists.
In solidarity with the communities that have been harmed by Modi and his policies, I will be boycotting his joint address to Congress.
— Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) June 22, 2023
Earlier on Tuesday, More than 70 Democratic members of the US Congress urged President Joe Biden in a joint letter to raise “areas of concern” in his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
US Senator Bernie Sanders, one of the signatories of the letter, said that “Modi’s government has cracked down on the press and civil society, jailed political opponents, and pushed an aggressive Hindu nationalism that leaves little space for India’s religious minorities.”
“President Biden should raise these facts in his meeting with Modi,” he said in a tweet.
Prime Minister Modi's government has cracked down on the press and civil society, jailed political opponents, and pushed an aggressive Hindu nationalism that leaves little space for India's religious minorities. President Biden should raise these facts in his meeting with Modi.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 21, 2023
-Siasat
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