The Humanism Project

The Humanism Project (THP) was established on March 2020 by Indian-origin Australians Deepak Joshi, Dr. Mohammed Haroon Kasim and Meraj Khan, who works with Australian newspaper, Newcastle Herald. Deepak Joshi is also co-founder of Australian based media portal, NRI Affairs, while Kasim (Registration:MED0001201779) is a Hospitalist at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital, Sydney, Australia. THP identifies itself as “transnational, multi faith group rallying against the hateful and divisive BJP agenda”. THP is also part of a greater alliance called Australian Alliance Against Hate and Violence (AAAHV). AAAHV comprises Hindus for Human Rights, Turbans 4 Australia, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Pax Christi Australia, THP, Ambekarite community in Australia, Basmala Australia. THP and AAAHV are both Kashmir, Khalistan separatist supporters.

THP get media presence and boost by one of their members, Vivek Asri. Asri is former employee of Australian government funded SBS.com.au. He co-founded NRI Affairs with Deepak Joshi. Vivek Asri has written blogs in Hindi for India’s Navbharat Times. In one blog Asri writes an open letter to Nirbhaya’s mother (Delhi gangrape victim) to pardon her daughters killers because forgiveness is a part of Hinduism. In another blog, he writes expressing sadness for Mumbai (Bombay) bomb blast perpetrator, Yakub Memon‘s hanging, that if he’ll be alive he’ll always be known as terrorist even if he has reformed to be a Gandhian, calls Bajrang Bali Hanuman as ‘ugly’, and God is as dangerous as a gun.

THP is often quoted in Australian newspapers and news portals as a representative of Indian community. They rose to prominence during Harris Park, Sydney incident when Indian student Vishal Jood was attacked for raising pro-Modi slogans during farm law protest rally in Sydney. Vishal was attacked by Khalistani elements supposedly protesting against Indian farm laws. They raised anti-India, anti-Modi slogans. THP and the Greens Party along with Turbans 4 Australia, immediately gave a twist to the story making it Hindutva hate against Indian minorities deliberately conflating Khalistani with Indian Sikhs.

THP held a Federal Parliamentary briefing to appraise MP’s on ‘human rights violations in India, especially farmers’ rights and attacks on minorities and marginalised sections, including Kashmir ‘. In April they held a two-day webinar on “Outlines of a strategic diasporic response to the RSS/BJP” by Biju Matthew. Biju Matthew is a known ultra radical leftist belonging to American based FOIL (Forum of Inquiliabi Leftists).

THP is known for their associations with CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), IAMC (Indian American Muslim Council), Stand with Kashmir (SWK) and other terror sympathisers terror apologists and terror supporters. CAIR has been banned by government of United Arab Emirates for being a front of Muslim Brotherhood, IAMC and SWK are known fronts of Jamat-e-Islami.

THP also held two roundtables on rising fascism in India and a conference on the impact of India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Greenleft.org.au in their article “Countering right-wing Hindu nationalism in the diaspora” have written, “The group has worked with sympathetic politicians to draw attention to this growing right-wing threat.” Sympathetic politicians are generally from Greens party like David Shoebridge, Lee Rihannon, Marissa Waters, Janet Rice, Pakistan-origin Mehreen Faruqui, party leader Adam Bandt. Bandt, Rihannon, Shoebridge, regularly appear on Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmiri separatist front, Stand With Kashmir.

Greens party influenced by hate politics of THP also tried to launch an attack on Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Australia. Greens party member David Shoebridge, member of New South Wales Legislative Council attacked VHP in NSW parliament calling it “How did Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), which is a right-wing Hindu organisation that is considered a military extremist religious organisation by the CIA [US Central Intelligence Agency], find themselves in New South Wales public schools?” VHP is authorised by NSW Department of Education to teach Hindu Dharma in 80 schools. NSW parliament speaker Mark Latham asked Shoebridge to prove this accusation, he was asked to apologise to the Hindu community in Australia as there was no shred of evidence.

THP have written a letter criticising Craig Kelly who praised UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his Covid management of UP using Ivermectin. The letter published by South Asia Times expresses ‘concern’ that Craig Kelly is promoting a “bigot who doesn’t disguise his hatred and contempt for Indian Muslims, Christians and other oppressed sections of the Indian society”. The letter goes on to state

He actively promotes Islamophobia and has sought to annihilate the livelihoods of many poor Muslims through his weaponisation of law and the police for overtly majoritarian political ends. This is evident from the article on Chief Minister Adityanath here.

The Humanism Project's letter to Craig Kelly published by South Asia Times, 12th July 2021

THP make accusations with no back-up evidence. The letter further states “It is also important that we don’t enable leaders who spread bigotry and Islamophobia.” The letter was less about the use of Ivermectin, more on hatred against Hindutva. The letter asks Craig Kelly to reconsider his views on UP CM Yogi Adityanath lists out three points:

1. Reconsider your views on Ivermectin and Chief Minister Adityanath’s management of CoVID-19 in India.
2. Reconsider your validation of Chief Minister Adityanath given his deeply troubling background of bigotry and Islamophobia.
3. Consider condemning Chief Minister Adityanath’s assault on religious freedoms in India with particular reference to mosque demolitions, hate speech against Christians, Muslims and his efforts to annihilate the livelihoods of many poor Muslims in his state.

Amnesty Australia work extensively with THP and Stand With Kashmir to promote hate against Hindus and India. In their article “AUSTRALIA MUST HOLD MODI TO ACCOUNT ON TECH SURVEILLANCE“, Amnesty quote THP:

Indian diaspora group The Humanism Project is also concerned about the chilling effect of crackdowns on the community in Australia and New Zealand.In addition, there has been an increase in online attacks targeted at Indian academia and civil society groups who are critical of the Modi government in the region. Such surveillance technology therefore raises security concerns for civil society groups and human right activists in Australia. PM Morrison therefore has an obligation to the Australian people to question PM Modi on the Indian state’s use of technology to spy on people who defend human rights,” The Humanism Project Co-Founder Dr Haroon Kasim said.

AUSTRALIA MUST HOLD MODI TO ACCOUNT ON TECH SURVEILLANCE, Amnesty Australia, 17th November 2021

On 10th September 2021, Australian state broadcaster SBS, in their SBS Hindi channel carried an article “Australian Senator blasts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over human rights abuse” where THP’s Deepak Joshi is quoted “The activists, students and journalists whom the Centre [read, federal] government considers against themselves are being charged under anti-terrorism laws. There have been so many incidents of mob lynching since this government came into power in 2014.” Joshi further states “This is not the first time the issue has been raised in a federal parliament of a country. It has been raised in European and American parliaments as well”.

THP has shown absolute contempt for Hindu festivals. For Eid wishes, THP sends out normal wishes, during Deepavali, they send a reminder to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison “…be mindful of what type of Hindus you hobnob with on #Diwali #Holi. History will judge you harshly for siding with #Fascists – now penetrating Australia politics, media and education”. Whereas, their Diwali wishes for 2021 was a photo of an earthen lamp with “Shubh Diwali” (Prosperous Diwali) the same message in Urdu and ends with “Jashn e Chiragan to all”. Jashne e Chiragan is Islamic, Urduised greeting for Diwali. Click on each image to view it fullscreen.

In a 10th Dec 2021 article by anti-India propagandist The Wire, “Speaking Up Is Not Anti-National’: Global Groups Condemn Attacks on India’s Rights Defenders” have quoted THP’s Haroon Kasim, “We stand proudly as Indians who will speak out loudly against any efforts to compromise or threaten India’s proud history of diversity, inclusiveness or her democratic values. Governments will come and go but we remain committed to standing up and protecting India’s proud multicultural, multi religious, multilingual and democratic ethos. We will not have it any other way”.

THP’s Haroon Kasim will be participating in an anti-India, anti-Hindu event scheduled for 26th-28th February 2022. The list of speakers are the usual list of suspects which has members from IAMC, Australian Greens Party members, Gujarat riots 2002 Modi baiter Teesta Setalvad, USCIRF Commissioner Arunima Bhargava, Delhi 2020 accused Umar Khalid’s father, SQR Illyas, Safoora Zargar, Ayesha Renna, Afreen Fatima, Nitasha Kaul, Kancha Illiah among others.