'Broader struggle for democracy...': Greta Thunberg joins Indian students protest in London - What she said

Climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg on Sunday (Jul 26) joined a protest in London that was organised Indian students expressing solidarity to the Jantar Mantar victory in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest in India's New Delhi. The protest called by UK unit of the Students' Federation of India (SFI-UK) featured placards demanding more accountability than just Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The protest was organised outside the Indian High Commission in London. Some placards also called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation. Notably, the protest and Greta Thunberg's involvement comes even as the protest in India is over and Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, as well as the ruling government has agreed to the demands of the protesters.

SFI President VP Sanu shared photographs from the event on social media, and wrote, “Famous social and environment activist Greta Thunberg showed up in solidarity with the Indian student movement at London protest organised by SFI-UK today. The student movement has given global activists hope about the power of the people. Thank you for your solidarity.”

What Greta Thunberg said?

Speaking at the protest Greta Thunberg said that the protest by students in India was a part of “the broader struggle for democracy and liberation”and is shared cause for other activists globally. “The Indian student protest has made us all proud and it gives us hope. It shows what we can achieve when people come together and resist. The protests show the true meaning of people power. The Indian student struggle for justice and broader struggle for democracy and liberation is also our struggle. So, we all have to come together now and rise up and unite in solidarity with India,” Greta Thunberg said in her speech.

After the protest, the SFI UK issued a statement and said that it salutes the struggle of the student movement and its success in pushing the education minister to resign. "The fight has been very inspiring and courageous. But it has certainly not yet come to an end. We continue to grieve for the 21 students who have lost their lives due to the handling of NEET, and of course, the brutal police repression against protestors,” it stated.