Controversy erupts in Britain's parliament complex over Modi

Organisers of debate on Narendra Modi and the Rise of Hindu Fascism said they were 'forced by Hindu right-wing groups' in UK to cancel the event

A debate on BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's controversial past sparked a row at a meeting within Britain's parliament complex.

Human rights groups and organisers of 'Narendra Modi and the Rise of Hindu Fascism' at a committee room in the Parliament building yesterday claimed they had been subjected to intense pressure and death threats from Hindu right-wing groups in the UK to cancel the debate.

"This meeting has been held under extremely difficult conditions, in the face of death threats. It just highlights the inability of Narendra Modi's supporters to tolerate anything other than their narrative and attempts to suppress free speech," said Chetan Bhatt, director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Bhatt traced Modi's RSS roots during the meeting leading up to his role as chief minister of Gujarat during the 2002 riots.

"The human rights issues are very serious and are not going to go away, no matter what happens in the Indian elections," he added.

The meeting was also addressed by Yusuf Dawood, a British Gujarati who lost two of his brothers in the 2002 riots and filed a civil case against Modi for genocide and crimes against humanity back in 2004.

"We can't just brush the facts of what happened under the carpet. It is important that the truth remains the truth," he said.

Members of the Hindu Forum of Britain and other UK-based Hindu groups present at the event expressed their discontent with the proceedings and claimed Modi was being unfairly accused and attacked.

A small group of rabble-rousers had to be eventually escorted out of the room, with one member screaming "Modi will be PM of India".

The meeting received the backing of a number of British parliamentarians, led by Labour MP John McDonnell, as well as celebrated Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor.

"We are in a moment of great danger and your call to our sense of justice is much needed," Kapoor said in his message read out at the event.

The event also marked the launch of 'Narendra Modi Exposed: Challenging the Myths Surrounding the BJP's Prime Ministerial Candidate', a report published by the Awaaz Network and Monitoring Group.

In it the author, LSE Emeritus professor Gautam Appa noted that the BJP's claim of the so-called "clean chit" given to Modi by the Supreme Court is a misconception as the judicial process is still ongoing in India.