Sydney (Tribune International, 17 Nov 2014); While Indian Prime Minister receives
overwhelming welcome by thousands of Indians at Sydney Olympic Park, the group of Pakistanis protest against India to end the Kashmir conflict with Pakistan.
About 20,000 people are being gathered today outside in and outside of the Allphones Arena near ANZ Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park. According the our resource more than 15,000 people mainly
from Indian Community will be welcoming Indian Prime Minister in arena theatre while about 5,000 will be watching activities on big screen outside the theatre.
People in groups especially youth waving Indian flag and painting colours on their faces chanting ‘long live India’, ‘long live Modi’, ‘long live India-Australia friendship’ pouring in Olympic Park today being a working day.
Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister who has received so warm
welcome by the Australian government whereas the Indian community gave Modi a historic welcome. He is the first Indian leader in 28 years visiting Australia.
A train carrying Indians from Melbourne arrived about 7am in Sydney where hundreds of Indians dancing and waving flags gathered at Central Station to continue their journey to Sydney Olympic Park.
Where majority of the members of the Indian community are demonstrating their happiness and ecstatic on Modi’s arrival in Australia, there are groups within Indian community who have reservations on Modi being the leader of India. Some members of the Indian Sikh community believe that Modi is dragging India from a Secular State to a Hindu State which in long run could not unite India. There is also expected to be a peaceful demonstration outside Allphones Arena tonight of the members of the Sikh community and other minority religions who believe that the Modi’s agenda is to make India a Hindu Nation.
Majority of Modi’s supporters belong to his constituency – state of Gujarat and also those who believe India should be a Hindu State rather than a secular state. Therefore, many secular-minded Indians don’t welcome Modi.
While Modi’s celebrations are going on at Sydney Olympic Park, a group of Pakistanis in Sydney gathered outside New South Wales Parliament at mid-day protesting against the Indian Government. They wanted Modi to end the conflict with Pakistan on Kashmir and resolve the dispute on Kashmir as per wishes of the Kashmiri people. Mr. Miana Mumtaz of Kashmir Council talking to the media said that Modi should put issue of the Kashmir on top priority as it is nuclear flash-point issue between India and Pakistan. He said that the people of Pakistan and Kashmir want peaceful settlement of the dispute so that both the people of India and Pakistan can progress and live like a friendly neighbours.
The dispute between India and Pakistan has been going on for the last 60 years that cost 3 wars between the two nuclear power India and Pakistan.
