‘Greta Thunberg visit not planned’: How SFI UK took the CJP protests to Leeds, London and beyond

What began as a support network for Indian students at the University of Leeds evolved into a much larger movement involving Indian students across universities in the United Kingdom and members of the diaspora rallying in solidarity with student protesters in India.

The left-wing Student Federation of India has a chapter in the UK which has worked mainly on helping Indian students settle into their campuses. Then, in July, it decided to rally in support of the Cockroach Janta Party protest in Delhi. The organisers, who sought anonymity fearing reprisals against their families in India, said there were protest demonstrations across eight UK cities over the past 10 days and they collectively drew around 4,000 participants.

“This reflects the growing concern among Indian students abroad over developments in India's education sector and police action against protesters ,” said an organiser. On Sunday, July 26, climate activist Greta Thunberg joined the London protest organised by SFI UK.

While it was first organised to protest against exam paper leaks – the medical entrance exam, NEET’s in particular – the CJP protest drew students and youths from across academic disciplines and social backgrounds. On July 25, former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned – a key demand – and Prahlad Joshi was given charge of the ministry on Sunday.

Student support network to protests

SFI UK is brand new. One of the protest organisers, a PhD scholar at University of Leeds, said it was initially formed as a small community to support Indian students studying in the UK.

"At a time when there has been a rise in racism in the UK, the idea was to provide a safety blanket for Indian students," they said.

However, following reports of police action against student protesters who had joined the CJP protest in India, the group began receiving messages from Indian students across the UK asking for demonstrations to be organised. "There was an overwhelming response from the Indian diaspora here in the UK. Students were reaching out through WhatsApp groups and social media. Our organisation became a conduit for the anger and grief many students were feeling," he said.

Many Indian students studying abroad remain closely connected to developments at home country through family members and social networks.

CJP Protests: 10 days in UK

The first major demonstration was in Leeds on July 17, well before the July 20 march to parliament. But it soon spread to other cities with significant Indian student populations. "Over the last 10 days, demonstrations have taken place in Edinburgh, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff, Leeds and London," she stated. In London, the first protest was held outside the High Commission of India and the second, at Trafalgar Square.

The organisers pointed out that the protests were driven by strong reactions among Indian students to developments in India, particularly reports of police action against demonstrators in Delhi on July 20 “Chalo Sansad” march organised by CJP.

"Many students moved abroad seeking better education and employment opportunities, which are still lacking in India,” said the organiser. “Students cite the reason of unemployment and lack of opportunities as the primary reason to move abroad."

Despite Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, SFI UK chose to hold a demonstration on July 26. "Our demands extended beyond one resignation. We continue to raise concerns regarding the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Education Policy (NEP) ," he said.

Greta Thunberg at London gathering

One of the London protests on Sunday received international attention after climate activist Greta Thunberg attended the event.

The protesters were not expecting her.

"We had issued an open call for a gathering and an open mic session to celebrate what many viewed as a victory for the student movement," she said. “Greta Thunberg joined the event to express solidarity with the student movement. Her participation was not pre-planned; she simply came to lend her support.”