‘Jantar Mantar is Everywhere’: Indian diaspora across the world stage anti-CEC protests after massive Delhi demonstrations
Here's the latest protest news from across India:
As protests against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continue across India, the Indian diaspora has also taken to the streets in cities around the world, expressing solidarity with demonstrators and raising concerns over democracy, electoral rights, and the right to dissent.
Adding to this, Protestors in London on October 17. (X/@dhruv_rathee) Under the call of ‘Jantar Mantar is Everywhere’, solidarity protests and gatherings are being organised across the world by the India diaspora. Protests took place in London and Erlangen (Germany) on October 16 with more joining the next day. On October 17, Indians in Germany (Göttingen, Berlin), Ireland (Dublin), Netherlands (The Hague), Sweden (Gothenburg), Finland (Helsinki), Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal), United States (Austin, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago) and Czech Republic (Prague) took to the streets to demand accountability from the CEC over the alleged irregularities. More demonstrations are being held today in Australia (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) and New York City.
Meanwhile, Student Federation of India (SFI) UK and SFI Leeds jointly gave a call for solidarity protest outside the High Commission of India in London on October 16, demanding “electoral integrity and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar”. While the demonstration was in progress, they were as per reports met with a counterprotest. They alleged that some “right-wing thugs” tried to disrupt the protest.
Notably, SFI organised another protest next day, on October 17, in front of Gandhi Statue at Parliament Square in London with YouTuber Dhruv Rathee as a ‘special speaker’. In the visuals shared by the student body and Rathee, over a thousand protestors were seen waving the Indian flag while shouting slogans of azadi and inquilab.
As per the latest buzz, Slogans of ‘ Har ghar, har ghar, Jantar Mantar; leke rahenge Loktantra (Every home, a Jantar Mantar, we will reclaim our democracy)’ were raised at a solidarity rally outside Consulate General of India in Toronto on October 17. The protestors read the Indian Constitution and recited poet Gorakh Pandey's work ‘ Unka dar ’ expressing their support for the people of India and their pursuit of “free, fair, and transparent democratic institutions.” In a post on Instagram with pictures of the demonstration, the organisers, Firdaus-é-Inquilab, wrote, “Gyanu, It's done Bro - Resign Now!”
In further updates, View this post on Instagram A post shared by International Socialists (IS) (@socialist.ca)
On top of that, The group, Indians in Vancouver, organised another solidarity gathering in Vancouver.
According to CBC News, Pablo Khan, who is originally from Mumbai, India, shared his brother and sister were detained by police in New Delhi while participating in Saturday’s protests against alleged electoral manipulation. The following day, Khan joined around 50 people in downtown Vancouver in a demonstration of solidarity with protesters in India and in support of the right to peaceful protest amid reports of mass detentions in New Delhi.
Source: Hindustan Times