We aren't protesters. We just wanted to know government's stand on rape

The students were assured tickets to the London event on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

Why were students who were initially promised entry to the Bharat ki Baat Sabke Saath suddenly not given tickets after they asked PM Narendra Modi to ensure justice in Kathua and Unnao rape cases? A leading student body has questioned the organisers that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself welcomed criticism, why were they barred from the event?

As many as 1,500 people attended Bharat ki Baat with Modi on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

The National Indian Students' and Alumni Union (NISAU), an umbrella organisation of university student bodies in the UK that are focused on India, found its members suddenly "uninvited" from the grand event planned for the Indian diaspora to welcome Modi to the UK. They had originally got an email confirming that the members would be invited, but the tickets were never allotted to them. So what changed?

Kathua, Unnao were deal-breakers
NISAU wrote to Modi on April 14, with a "request for urgent and swift action and justice" for rape victims in Kathua and Unnao. Urging the PM to employ "extraordinary measures in extraordinary times", the letter expressed the hope that the Indian government would show the people of India that it "does care for the well-being and dignity of its children, women and citizens at large". Further, the association asked for action, to show that the government's initial silence was not tantamount to support of the accused, who seem to have some "link with those in power."

"We made it very clear that we were not protesting against Modi coming to the UK. We simply asked the government to take a stand against rape by telling us what extraordinary measures it will put into place to ensure the safety of women and girls in India," said Sanam Arora, chairperson of NISAU.

The letter was signed by 19 student bodies in the UK, including from the University of Oxford, London School of Economics, University College of London, Queen Mary University of London, King's College London, University of Manchester and Birmingham City University. Tickets were withheld from students from all these societies following the release of the letter. "Manchester University and Nottingham Trent University's invites never arrived either," said Arora.

Pressure to withdraw
According to sources, the student bodies were "hounded" to withdraw their support to the letter. Eventually, Queen Mary India Society (QMIS) withdrew its support. "According to our records, they first gave their consent, and then asked for their name to be removed," said Arora. In a statement, QMIS said: "We deplore all acts against humanity. However, we were not formally consulted via official correspondence about certain contents of NISAU's letter to PM Modi. Hence, we reject it entirely in our capacity, and as claimed, we don't accept that we have 'written' this letter together."

Cold shoulder
There are fears in academic circles of "an ideological takeover" of Indian students in the UK, said sources. Another letter written by UK academics asking the media to "question Modi about the involvement of his party members in these atrocities" also resulted in a cold shoulder being extended to scholars.

Dr Mukulika Banerjee, director of the South Asia Centre, London School of Economics, was one such academic. Courted during Modi's last visit to the UK, when he had spoken at Wembley stadium, this year, neither she nor her students received an invite. "To voice our dissent does not mean we are against the country. It only means we care enough to express it and expect India to change for the better," she said.

She added that she is concerned about the "re-introduction of caste and discrimination and patriarchal values in Britain in the name of multi-culturalism", and believes that local politicians support this because of the large Indian vote bank. On the other hand, there are some who claim that it's not just students, but many were not given invites because of the "small capacity of the venue" and the "overwhelming response to see Modi".

Not-so-secret ballot
The Europe Indian Forum, which organised the Wembley event in 2015, was involved in organising this event as well. Guests were selected through a so-called secret ballot. In contrast to the title, however, applicants were asked to disclose their association to any organisations, as well as the questions they would like to ask Modi.

High Commission says
"We were not involved in the Bharat ki Baat event, and do not know how people were invited," said a source at the High Commission of India in the UK.

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