Indian diaspora communities across Europe, the United States and Australia have organised solidarity protests against India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the restoration of deleted voter names. The demonstrations, held under a global campaign, have brought together activists and supporters calling for electoral accountability and the protection of democratic rights in India.
More than 70 members of the Indian diaspora and their supporters gathered at the Spire in Dublin, Ireland, to express solidarity with protests in India against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the reversal of the revision exercise and the restoration of names deleted from electoral rolls.
The gathering was part of a Global Day of Solidarity and Action, bringing together diaspora communities and supporters of electoral rights across several countries.
Organised by the newly formed South Asia Collective Ireland, the Dublin protest followed an earlier gathering at the General Post Office (GPO) in response to a nationwide call for demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10.
Participants read out a collective statement, raised slogans of “Aazadi” and unfurled the Indian national flag in solidarity with protesters detained in India. The gathering also featured speeches, songs and poetry.
“I’m very happy with the turnaround, the attendees more than tripled in a week; people came with their own posters and participated with songs, speeches, and poetry,” said Shreya, one of the organisers.
The statement criticised the authorities’ response to demonstrations in India, raising concerns about restrictions on assembly, detentions and alleged police brutality during protests at Jantar Mantar in July 2026. It also highlighted student activist Umar Khalid’s continued imprisonment without trial and called for an end to delays in his case.
The international campaign also extended to the United States and Australia, where Hindus for Human Rights and partner organisations reportedly organised demonstrations in New York City, Washington, DC, Fremont, California, Atlanta, Sydney and Melbourne between October 18 and 19. The protests focused on voter exclusions linked to SIR, calling for electoral accountability and the protection of voting rights.
Hindus for Human Rights organised a protest at New York’s Union Square on October 19. The organisation also listed a rally in New York on October 18, featuring speakers including Sunita Viswanath, the organisation’s co-founder, along with writers, artists and other advocates.
The US demonstrations were organised alongside partner groups, including the Indian American Muslim Council. Organisers said the campaign sought to highlight concerns over voter exclusions, women’s rights and the treatment of protesters in India.
Across Europe, groups in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic also joined the campaign under the banner “Jantar Mantar is Everywhere.”
Participants in Dublin said the diaspora had a role in amplifying demands for democratic rights and electoral accountability, particularly when protesters in India faced restrictions on public demonstrations.
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