NEW DELHI: Satyam Surana, a student leader from Pune, has found himself embroiled in controversy amid student elections at the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) in the United Kingdom. In what he describes as a ”carefully orchestrated effort”, Surana claims to have been unfairly targeted with a hate campaign just 12 hours before the elections at the LSE. False accusations linking him to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and labelling him a ‘fascist’ circulated, aiming to undermine his campaign and reputation. Speaking to news agency ANI, Satyam disclosed that his posters were being ripped off and torn, prompting him to lodge complaints with the authorities. Upon replacing these posters, he found that some had been defaced, with crosses marked on his face and phrases like “anyone but Satyam”. “I was cancelled out,” he said.
#WATCH | An Indian Student at the London School of Economics, Satyam Surana who came to the limelight when he picked up the tricolour from the road, defying the attack at the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom by extremist elements last year, now alleges hate campaigns… pic.twitter.com/aXsVC2PIWD
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2024
Anti-Indian Campaign In UK
Surana alleges that the campaign against him is part of a larger agenda by individuals politically opposed to the current Indian government. He asserts that the campaign involves spreading misinformation and disinformation to discredit him and his affiliations. The campaign against Surana included defacing his campaign posters and circulating messages across various student groups, accusing him of supporting the BJP and labelling him as intolerant towards certain communities.
People are now Anti-India because they are Anti-Modi‼️
They attempted to harass me. I was cancelled, I was slurred.
Why?
– Because I supported PM Modi.
– Because I supported BJP.
– Because I spoke up for the truth when the Ram Mandir was built.
– Because I supported the… pic.twitter.com/OArzoof3aN
— Satyam Surana (@SatyamSurana) March 25, 2024
Response To Accusations
Surana defends himself, stating that his political views and associations are his personal opinions and should not affect his candidacy in a student election. He highlights the misrepresentation of his connections, such as a photograph with Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, to falsely link him to the BJP.
Indians Behind The Hate Campaign
Surana has expressed disappointment that a majority of those involved in the hate campaign against him are fellow Indians, further emphasizing the need for fair and unbiased discourse within communities.
Who Is Satyam Surana?
Originally from Pune, Surana has also practiced law at the Bombay High Court and is currently pursuing an LLM at LSE, with his course set to conclude later this year.