‘A billion people on trial’: Indian anti-CAA protestors get support from academicians in Melbourne

The event, ‘We are with you’ was organised by Southern Crossings, a pan-Australian group of artists, activists and academics, in a show of “solidarity and support” for all those who have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Indian-Australian academicians, artists and activists come together for a peaceful protest against CAA in Melbourne. Source: Supplied

India’s anti-Citizenship Amendment Act slogans resounded in the heart of Melbourne when a group of Indian-Australians came together for a peaceful gathering at the iconic Federation Square on Sunday.

The event, ‘We are with you’ was organised by Southern Crossings, a pan-Australian group of artists, activists and academics, in a show of “solidarity and support” for all those who have been protesting against the contentious Act.

The passage of the Act which offers amnesty to non-Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, has lead to multiple demonstrations in the city, both in favour and against its enactment.

Dr Mridula Nath Chakraborty, a Melbourne-based academician who spearheaded the event over the weekend invoked Indian legendary poet, Rabindranath Tagore’s poem, ‘Where the mind is without fear’ to mark her protest against the act.

She, in particular, applauded the ‘bravery’ of the women of Shaheen Bagh who have been sitting in protest since December 15, 2019.

“This planned event in Melbourne is intended to express our solidarity and support for the protests going on in India since the last month, and still going strong, with readings from the Constitution and the national anthem, along with some songs of protest,” Dr Chakraborty said while addressing the gathering.

Those who took part in the sit-in raised placards and sang out the national anthem to reinforce the idea of a ‘secular’ India.

 

Participants reciting India's national anthem in Melbourne's Federation Square. Source: Supplied

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Arjuna Raina, an artist who participated in the public gathering said the CAA combined with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a “political spin that’s gone too far.’

“A Jumla, a political spin, has the Indian Home Minister reassuring the country that no Indian Muslim Citizen will suffer detention and persecution as a consequence of the CAA or Citizen Amendment Act,” said Dr Raina.

Drawing comparisons between the bushfire crisis in Australia and the political limbo in India, Dr Raina added that both countries need to consider better ways to solve the problems.

“In both countries, we have failing strongmen, Modi (economy) and Morrison (climate change). Here a billion animals have died.

“There, in India, a billion human beings are to be placed on trial. They have to be seeking better ways to solve a nation’s problems, and a majority community’s ambitions, other than this bureaucratic and humanistic nightmare,” said Dr Raina.

 

A protestor holding a poster at the anti-CAA public gathering in Melbourne. Source: Supplied

Meanwhile, in a strong show of support for the students who have been protesting against CAA and NRC, co-organiser of the event, Dr Vikrant Kishore said, “He was deeply disturbed by the violent suppression and police brutality towards the students.”

“This totally goes against the spirit of democracy and human rights and I am deeply anguished by all this and can only term this action by the government as barbaric,” added Dr Kishore.

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