Indian student in UK alleges hate campaign against him for ‘supporting’ BJP, Modi
Satyam Surana, who was running for general secretary in the student elections at London School of Economics says a smear campaign was launched against him for supporting the BJP government in India
Satyam Surana, who became the poster boy of Indian nationalism after he picked up the tricolour off the ground during a protest by pro-Khalistan activists in UK last year, has now alleged that a “well-planned” smear campaign was launched against him to ensure his defeat in the recently-held student elections at the London School of Economics (LSE).
Surana, who was contesting for the post of general secretary in the elections, has alleged that a hate campaign was launched against him barely 12 hours before the voting with unscrupulous elements ripping off and defacing his posters and calling him a ‘fascist’ and ‘BJP supporter’.
The law student also shared his experience of being ‘targeted’ in a hate campaign on social media.
‘I was cancelled out’
Recounting the incident, he says it began at around March 14 or 15 with the defacement of his posters.
“LSE elections were declared in February and early March and I filed the nomination for the post of general secretary. From 14-15th of March, we noticed that my posters were being ripped off, and torn. We complained to the authorities. After we replaced our posters, on the 16th, we saw that some posters were defaced. There were crosses on my face, it was written 'anyone but Satyam'. I was cancelled out,” he told ANI in an interview.
Surana said messages against him were circulated on all LSE groups where he was portrayed as an Islamophobe and transphobe besides being a BJP supporter.
“On the 17th afternoon, there were messages in all groups of LSE. Indian groups, law school groups. The messages claimed, 'This Satyam Surana is a BJP supporter, he is a fascist person, an Islamophobe, transphobe. The messages were so seditious and contentious of the Indian government and the current establishment,” ANI quoted him as saying.
A resident of Pune, Surana practised at the Bombay High Court before moving to London to pursue a course at the LLM.
‘My team’s moral conscience was shattered’
In his interview with ANI, he says social media posts in which he had praised the BJP government were used in the smear campaign against him.
Surana said he had a well thought-out manifesto which was not political in nature and had received support from students initially. But it was until malicious messages were spread against him across the campus.
"With my entire team, I went through the entire campus. We were reaching out across departments and explaining our policies. I had a very well-written and well-drafted manifesto, which was not at all political. It said how things need improvement at LSE, how there is a need for a grievance redressal portal, having subsidised food on campus. We were getting support and people were saying that they would vote for me," he told ANI.
“But, out of the three people, it was only me who was targeted randomly. When these messages started coming, my entire team was shocked, we were in a dilemma, and the entire moral conscience of the team was shattered," he said.
‘Planned by Left wing’
Surana alleged that the entire campaign against him was organised by Left-leaning students.
"I was called a Neo-Nazi supporter, Right Wing, out of campus. See, when the message heading was circulated as the right wing out of campus, it is very clear that the campaign was dictated and planned by the Left wing," he said adding that most of those involved in the campaign were Indians.
"The only thing that hurts is that these were our fellow Indian students who circulated these messages and questioned the sovereignty of India...how shameless can people be to forward these messages? I can't believe Indian students forwarding the messages and hampering the sovereignty and integrity of our country," he added.
Campaign by those who can’t digest success of India under Modi
Stating that it was a “well-planned hate and toolkit campaign,” Surana said it was managed by those who are against the BJP government in India.
He also said that this is a group that cannot digest the success of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"The people of the international community are not aware of what is going on in India. Every international person is looking up to India and looking up to the current prime minister as a stalwart legendary politician. Our prime minister has the highest approval rating in the entire world, we have shown what we can do during COVID-19, and we are emerging as the third-largest economy. But, sadly these groups who can't digest this fact are spreading not misinformation, but disinformation," he said.