Australia: Tejasvi Surya’s event cancelled; universities & corporates pull out of the event following protest

In a humiliating blow to the controversial BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, organizers cancelled his event in Australia following protest lodged by intellectuals, minority groups and human rights activists over Surya’s pursuance of hate politics back in India .

According to the news portal NRIAffairs, Surya who is considered a rising star in Hindutva camp was set to address a series of events from 31 May to 4 June organized by the Australia India Youth Dialogue (AIYD).

But Australia based Muslim groups, academicians and rights groups have launched a campaign against the BJP MP, slamming AIYD for inviting him.

Surya, whose meteoric rise in the saffron party surprised many, was recently in the news for leading a ‘mob’ which attacked Delhi CM Kejriwal’s house.

As per NRI Affairs, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) and The Australian Alliance against Hate (AAH) have asked partners of the event to withdraw their support citing Surya’s anti-Muslim views.

“Surya has expressed clearly incendiary anti-Muslim views and has stirred hatred and violent sentiments against our Indian Muslims brothers, sisters and childer,” the AFIC said.

Demanding cancellation of Surya's participation, the protesting groups have written letters addressed to Australian universities and corporations, sponsoring the event.

“As evident in his profile on the AIYD Website, Surya identifies himself as an RSS Swayamsevak…Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a militant Hindu organisation that borrows from the tactics of European fascism to transform different people’ into ‘enemies’. Groups that have experienced RSS-related discrimination and violence for decades include Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Adivasis (Indigenous), and Dalits (historically positioned at the bottom of the hierarchical caste system),” the letter said.

After the protest, Deakin University, the University of Sydney, Macquarie University and Monash University disassociated from the event and pulled out their sponsorship, said NRI Affairs.

Held in India and Australia in alternate years, the AIYD is a young leaders’ dialogue between Australia and India. According to their website, AIYD “enables a rich exchange of ideas between emerging leaders to think creatively about how the Australia-India relationship may be strengthened through their own work and efforts”. It claims to host “best and brightest young minds from each country at an annual conference”.