NRI group holds protest against Narendra Modi in Silicon Valley

These demonstrations were organized by Bharat Ki Awaaz, a 500-member group supporting the Congress party.

A member of the Bharat Ki Awaaz group. / Screengrab/Bharat Ki Awaaz

A series of silent protests were held at several Silicon Valley locations, including the headquarters of Google and Meta, by an Indian man residing in the United States. These demonstrations, organized by Bharat Ki Awaaz, a political group supporting the Congress party, aimed to oppose what they perceive as the authoritarian rule of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Banners bearing the slogans '#VoteOut' and '#HitlerModi' were prominently displayed during the protests.

As part of this agitation, a group of NRIs gathered in South Bay, Sunnyvale, atop California freeway 101 during peak traffic hours. The protests, organized by Bharat Ki Awaaz (Voice of India), voiced opposition to various policies and actions of the Indian government, including alleged Islamophobic rhetoric, the arrest of human rights activists without due process, and the suppression of Opposition voices in the General Elections.

Among the grievances cited were accusations of interference in Supreme Court proceedings and the use of government institutions for political purposes. The event, attended by a diverse diaspora from across the Bay Area, saw participants honking their car horns in solidarity with the demonstrators.

Bharat Ki Awaaz, described as a liberal community, plans to organize similar protests across the Bay Area to raise awareness among the NRI community. Many videos uploaded on social media platforms feature an unidentified Indian man holding the banner for hours.