Climate groups, the Indian diaspora organization South Asia Solidarity Group, and pro-Palestinian organizations protested the opening of a new gallery sponsored by the Indian conglomerate Gautam Adani’s Green Energy at the London Science Museum. The Adani-sponsored gallery, named Adani Green Energy Gallery, opened on Monday, aims to showcase how renewable energy can combat climate change.
The museum authority faced criticism for accepting sponsorship from Adani for the gallery, leading to a demonstration where over 150 individuals occupied the museum. The museum authority was accused of allowing Adani, the world’s largest private coal miner and exporter of arms to Israel, to ‘greenwash’ its activities by sponsoring the Energy Revolution exhibit.
Protesters unfurled a large banner depicting Adivasi women opposing Adani’s operations in India. They accused Adani of forcibly displacing Adivasi communities from their ancestral lands.
The protesters also accused Adani of alleged complicity in the Gaza genocide. They pointed out that Elbit Systems, an Israeli company in which Adani shares ownership, manufactures 85% of the Hermes 900 drones that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used in Gaza.
“Modi’s best friend ally and bankroller, Adani, manufactures the Hermes drones used against Palestinians in the genocide. Meanwhile, Modi sends impoverished, unemployed Indian workers to the war zone with no protection of any kind to replace Palestinians and rebuild Israel’s tattered economy. So, yes, India is deeply complicit in the genocide of Palestinians,” Mukti Shah of South Asia Solidarity Group said.
Some protesters wore masks depicting Modi, Adani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Science Museum director Ian Blatchford, to symbolically indicate the close relationships between them and their joint role in perpetuating climate destruction, fascism, and genocide.
Gautam Adani is the founder and chairman of the Adani Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in India. Adani’s success has skyrocketed, thanks to help from Prime Minister Modi. They’ve been connected since Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat. Accusations of cronyism have trailed Adani as he acquired assets such as ports, airport contracts, and coal mines nationwide, rapidly ascending to become one of the largest and most influential businessmen in the country.
