Thousands turn out for rally for Indian PM Narendra Modi in Melbourne
Tens of thousands of members of the Australian-Indian community descend on Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium to visit Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mr Modi, whose two-day visit to Australia includes a leaders’ summit with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, will be in the spotlight later on Thursday night.
Up to 40,000 people are expected to attend, similar to a similar “rock star” event held in Sydney three years ago.
But several anti-Modi protest groups have held their own rallies outside Marvel Stadium ahead of the ‘Melbourne Meets Modi’ community event, which Mr Albanese will attend.
Protesters shouting “Modi out” came to condemn India’s Prime Minister for “human rights violations”
The Socialist Alliance carried banners saying “Stop Modi’s human rights violations” and chanted “Kick out Modi”. Sikh protesters who accused Mr. Modi of persecuting their religion were also protesting.
Right-winger Hugo Lennon, who attacked Indian Mr. Modi’s hotel on Wednesday, was standing opposite the entrance holding Australian flags and anti-immigration banners, the Herald-Sun newspaper reported.
Dozens of police were present to keep the protesters under control.
Mr Modi is immensely popular among many members of the Indian diaspora, but has been criticized internationally for discriminating against minorities, especially Muslims.
Supporters of the Khalistan movement, which advocates for an independent homeland for Sikhs in India, protested at an earlier event with the two prime ministers on Thursday.
More to come
