Satyam Surana, a law student from India, has come into the spotlight again. Previously known for his act of patriotism at the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom, where he picked up India's national flag from the ground during an attack by extremist groups, Surana is now facing challenges in the academic arena. He claims to be the victim of a hate and smear campaign in the student union elections at the London School of Economics (LSE).

“After alleging that a smear campaign targeted him during the union elections, the law student has now approached the Indian government for help.” This statement marks Surana's direct appeal for intervention from his home country's authorities.

Continuing his education in the UK, Surana is currently embroiled in a political struggle during the student union elections at LSE. He alleges a systematic campaign aimed at tarnishing his reputation and hindering his electoral prospects.

Detailing the incidents, Surana reports that his electoral materials, specifically campaign posters, were maliciously defaced. Furthermore, he points out that messages were spread across the campus which contained ‘anti-government’ sentiments, seemingly targeting the Government of India, aiming to undermine his candidacy. This act of defamation, he believes, is part of a larger scheme orchestrated by certain groups within the Indian community residing in the UK.

In response to these challenges, Surana has taken proactive steps by reaching out to the Indian government. He has lodged formal complaints with prominent Indian authorities, including the “Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)” and the “Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)”. In his communications, he expresses his concerns, stating that the adverse actions he faced were motivated by his openly pro-India stance and perceives them as attacks from ‘anti-India’ and ‘left-wing’ elements.

Satyam Surana, in his recent interaction with The Free Press Journal (FPJ), shed light on the troubling experiences he faced at the London School of Economics (LSE). Surana, originally from Pune, India, and a former practitioner at the Bombay High Court, has been studying for his LLM degree at LSE. His journey became turbulent when he found himself at the center of political controversies.

“These messages (allegedly circulated targeting him) included anti-government sentiments against India's territorial sovereignty, particularly concerning Kashmir, and targeted me for my stance against Khalistanis. I encountered two to three people who countered me with the slogan ‘free Khalistan’," Surana confided to FPJ. His encounters on campus weren’t just limited to verbal confrontations; they were part of a wider campaign that included damaging propaganda against him, attempting to undermine his pro-India views.

Surana's prominence rose last year after he was seen defending India's honor during an assault on the Indian Embassy in London, where he notably saved the national flag from desecration. His act of patriotism then has become a significant part of his identity, influencing his experiences abroad.

Discussing his recent struggles, Surana expressed his disappointment with the reaction from LSE’s administration, pointing out that the responses to his complaints were unhelpful and lacked substance. In search of support, he turned towards Indian government entities.

“I have appealed to governmental authorities for intervention, reaching out to the High Commission, the Home Ministry, the External Affairs Ministry, the Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, First Secretary of Education and (the) department which concerns the left-wing extremism in Home Ministry. My social media is again being dox with Khalistani elements. I am seeking governmental support," Surana explained.

Satyam Surana claims that a sudden and malicious campaign was launched against him just 12 hours before the polls on March 18-19. This campaign sought to discredit him by associating him with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and maligning him as a ‘fascist’, in a clear attempt to sabotage his chances in the election.

What happened before the LSE polls?

Surana shared with The Free Press Journal (FPJ) a detailed account of the events leading up to the election. The election season kicked off in February, and Surana, seizing the opportunity to contribute further to the student community, filed his nomination for the general secretary position in early March. However, not long after, his campaign faced unexpected hostility.

“From 14-15th of March, we noticed that my posters were being ripped off, torn. We complained to the authorities. After we replaced our posters, on the 16th, we saw that some posters were defaced. There were crosses on my face, it was written 'anyone but Satyam'. I was cancelled out," Surana recounted the troubling incidents. This series of actions against him pointed to a concerted effort to undermine his campaign and influence the election outcome.

Despite these setbacks, Surana and his campaign team took responsible steps to address the issue. They reported the vandalism to the LSE authorities and requested an investigation, hoping that the security team would review CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators. However, Surana expressed frustration over the lack of progress in this matter. He highlighted that even after repeated requests for intervention, neither the LSE security team nor the LSE Ethics Committee took meaningful action to rectify the situation or support a fair electoral process. This lack of response left Surana and his team feeling neglected and undermined, facing the electoral battle amidst a backdrop of unresolved challenges and hostility.

Surana faced serious accusations in the heated atmosphere of the election, with messages spreading quickly among LSE student groups. These communications labeled him a BJP supporter and unjustly accused him of being a ‘fascist’, ‘Islamophobe’, and ‘transphobe’. The crux of these accusations often rested on his public admiration for the BJP-led government in India, evidenced through screenshots of his social media posts.

Genuine campus issues in the campaign manifesto

In stark contrast to the personal attacks, Surana’s campaign manifesto was dedicated entirely to addressing tangible problems at the university. He proposed establishing a grievance redressal portal to streamline the processing of student complaints, and he advocated for subsidised food to ease the financial burden on students. These initiatives were designed to foster a better living and learning environment, highlighting his focus on practical and beneficial changes for the student body.

Despite these positive intentions and the focus on real student welfare issues, the negative campaign significantly marred Surana's efforts to connect with the electorate. He believed that the spread of harmful and baseless accusations diverted attention from the constructive policies he wanted to implement, thus damaging his prospects in the student union elections.

Involvement of ‘left-wing’ groups suspected

Satyam Surana, in his quest to understand the motives behind the aggressive campaign against him, suspects the involvement of ‘left-wing groups’. He observed that the animosity commenced with narratives aiming to dislodge right-wing representation within the student union, encapsulated in the phrase ‘Right Wing Organisation Out of Students’ Union’. Surana deduces that the orchestrators of this narrative likely align with left-wing ideologies or are connected with radical left-wing factions, both within the university setting and in broader circles.

He argues that the animus directed at him was not simply a matter of personal vendetta but a calculated move to tarnish his reputation, chiefly because of his political leanings and his public endorsement of the BJP and its governance policies in India.

Involvement of Indians

Digging deeper into the origins of the smear campaign, Surana pointed out the significant role of Indian students in the UK. He noted that the majority of the antagonistic messages were disseminated by Indian nationals, some of whom are beneficiaries of government scholarships in the UK, and utilized Indian WhatsApp numbers for this purpose. Surana, highlighting this pattern, sees it as imperative for the Indian government to step in and scrutinize the potential connections these individuals may have with anti-India factions operating on a global scale. According to his conversation with The Free Press Journal, this situation warrants a thorough investigation to uncover and address any hidden agendas against him, which may be part of a larger anti-India sentiment.

Satyam Surana has taken active steps to address the situation he encountered during the LSE student union elections. He emphasized his actions by stating, "I petitioned the government to probe the matter, identify those orchestrating these activities and safeguard against future occurrences." Surana pointed out the possibility of foreign involvement in the smear campaign, hinting at influences driven by Western interests, which he believes warrants a comprehensive investigation by the authorities.

In discussing the legal complexities of investigating such matters, Surana clarified the jurisdictional scope of Indian law. "Only the Indian government has the authority to investigate offences committed outside India's borders by Indian citizens, as outlined in Section 4 of the IPC and Sections 2 and 13 of the UAPA," he explained. This statement indicates his reliance on specific Indian legal statutes to address the actions committed against him abroad.

Surana faced considerable challenges in pinpointing the culprits due to the coordinated nature of the attacks. "If there is one person I would have named and identified it easily but it is a well-planned syndicate," he contended, suggesting the existence of a well-organized group behind the negative campaign.

The issue extends beyond legal and political concerns, touching on personal safety and mental health. Surana expressed his distress over the situation, noting, "The threatening and aggressive messages I receive online, along with worries about my family's well-being, underscore the need for government inquiry. Addressing security and mental health issues is paramount to preventing future incidents." These concerns highlight the severe personal toll such incidents can take on individuals involved in public and political spheres.

In the backdrop of these events, the election concluded with Tito Molokwu emerging as the winner, closely followed by Advait Kuravi.

In 2023 also, an Indian student had accused LSE student union of xenophobia after being disqualified from elections

In 2023, the London School of Economics (LSE) was the backdrop for a significant controversy involving allegations of xenophobia and racism within its student union. Karan Kataria, a 22-year-old Indian student enrolled in a master’s program in international law at LSE, became the center of a contentious episode after his disqualification from the students’ union election.

Originating from Gurgaon, India, and an alumnus of NorthCap University, Kataria had ambitions that led him to the UK in September to further his education. Marking a milestone as the first in his family to attend university, his academic journey took a tumultuous turn when he decided to run for the position of general secretary in the LSE Students’ Union (LSESU).

Kataria recounted to the Times of India (TOI) a harrowing experience of targeted defamation. During the election campaign, he found himself at the mercy of a well-coordinated smear campaign. Despite his advocacy for social harmony and positive change, he was wrongfully labeled as a Hindu nationalist and was baselessly accused of being racist, Europhobic, transphobic, and Islamophobic across various student WhatsApp groups.

This relentless campaign against him underscored a disturbing pattern at LSE, suggesting a specific targeting of Indian students, especially those of Hindu faith. Kataria's statement to TOI, "Some individuals could not bear to see an Indian-Hindu leading LSESU," reveals the deep-seated biases and intolerance that he perceived as being directed towards him due to his national and religious identity. This incident highlights a troubling aspect of student politics at LSE, where discrimination and xenophobia against Indian students, manifested through such smear campaigns.

On March 29, following the tallying of votes, Karan Kataria encountered a significant setback in his student political career at the London School of Economics (LSE). He received a communication from the returning officer indicating that there had been multiple complaints alleging his association with an extremist organization. Despite the lack of evidence supporting claims of intolerance or discriminatory behavior on his part, the officer found Kataria in violation of a two-meter rule, a claim he disputes, leading to his disqualification from the election.

Kataria highlighted the isolation he felt in the electoral process, stating, "I was the only brown international student standing," and noted that he had garnered considerable support from students of Asian and African descent.

Despite his efforts to challenge the ruling, Kataria’s appeal was unsuccessful, and James Refl was subsequently declared the general secretary. This series of events took a heavy toll on Kataria, affecting both his mental well-being and sense of security. He confessed to experiencing sleep disturbances and feeling uneasy about navigating the university spaces.

Expressing his disillusionment, Kataria lamented, "I am concerned for my safety. I come from a small village and a middle-class farming family and I came to the UK as it is one of the oldest democracies in the world. I never dreamt I would get judged on my Hindu faith and Indian identity." His experience led him to critically assess the treatment of Indian students in the UK, suggesting a transactional view of them as mere financial contributors to the educational institutions.

In the wake of the 2023 elections at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Karan Kataria faced further challenges as he sought transparency and accountability from the London School of Economics Students' Union (LSESU). Kataria requested information about his vote count and access to CCTV footage to validate the claims against him, but his requests were denied. Frustrated by what he perceived as unjust treatment, he filed a formal complaint with the union, denouncing the actions against him as a “hate crime.”

During the election, the atmosphere was particularly hostile for some voters. Kataria reported that several female Indian students at the polling booth were subjected to derogatory accusations, being labeled as “Hindu fascists” and “scumbags.” This incident points to a larger pattern of harassment and discrimination, particularly targeting Indian students and questioning their political affiliations and ideologies.

The LSESU maintained that Kataria’s disqualification was due to a breach of regulations, specifically citing a rule that mandates maintaining a two-meter distance from voters, which they claim Kataria violated. The union asserted, “We are confident that all decisions were followed according to due process and best practice,” indicating their belief that the disqualification was justified and procedural.

An LSE spokesperson responded to the unfolding situation by affirming the institution's commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment. The spokesperson stated, “LSE is committed to a working and learning environment where people can achieve their full potential free of all types of harassment and violence.” This statement reflects the university’s stance on upholding the integrity and fairness of its academic and social environment, even as it faced scrutiny over the alleged unfair treatment and bias in the student union elections.

In 2021, The first Indian president-elect of Oxford students’ union had to quit after being canceled

In a groundbreaking event in February 2021, Rashmi Samant, at the age of 22, became the first Indian woman elected as president of the Oxford University Student Union. Her campaign, which promised to “decolonise” the university and ensure inclusivity for all communities, played a significant role in her electoral victory, marking her achievement as a historic moment celebrated by many.

However, this triumph was short-lived. Within a week of her election, Samant found herself embroiled in controversy. She became the target of accusations regarding her old social media posts, which some individuals deemed racist and insensitive. The backlash from these allegations was swift and intense, leading to what Samant described as “racist cyber lynching.” This forced her resignation and sparked a broader conversation about the treatment she received, subsequently leading to an investigation by the university into the allegations of bullying.

Samant’s tenure as the first Indian president of the Oxford Student Union (SU) brought to light the underlying racial tensions within the institution. In her book ‘A Hindu in Oxford,’ she shared her personal ordeal, asserting that she was subject to racism and was unfairly scrutinized by her professors at Oxford. According to her account, there were questions raised about her suitability for the presidency based on her religious and ethnic identity.

In conversations with the news agency ANI, Samant highlighted a broader issue of discrimination faced by Indian ("Bharatiya") students, which she believes is often overlooked and not adequately addressed. Her resignation from the position in February 2021 underscored the challenges she faced, suggesting that the situation could have escalated to a wrongful "conviction" had there not been an Indian figure to replace her.

Responding to her successor Avnee Bhutani’s assertion that Samant did not experience discrimination based on nationality and ethnicity, Samant expressed strong disagreement. She criticized Bhutani, stating, “Avnee is doing a disservice to the movement (on campus) by playing down the trauma that somebody else has lived through. She has no proof to back her claim. It was an act to defame me and to play down the seriousness of racism abroad for ulterior motives." Samant drew parallels with the colonial era, remarking on the historical tendency of some of Indian origin to side with British perspectives, implying a similar dynamic in her own situation.

Reflecting on the broader context of Indian success and resilience, Samant commented on Rishi Sunak’s ascent to UK Prime Minister, noting the adversities he overcame. She highlighted the collective strength of Indian individuals, stating, “Our people are fighters and Sunak, too, became the Prime Minister after overcoming serious odds. However, he earned the respect and trust of fellow politicians and world leaders and is now working to take the country forward with full support of the people. Our people are treated very badly and are always discriminated against. We never take it as an excuse not to excel. We do not cry. We do not become crybabies. Instead, we fight it and give it back to their face.”

Samant also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic achievements, emphasizing India’s enhanced international stature. “Finally, we have a seat with the Western countries. America and the UK respect us, Canada fears us, and we have great relations with Europe. What we often neglect to see is how Modi ji has also brought the African Union. That is the mark of a true leader who is willing to uplift so many. We should take pride in that we took G20 to G21.” Her words reflect a pride in India's global positioning and the perceived impact of its leadership on the international stage, suggesting a narrative of overcoming discrimination and establishing respect and influence globally.