India Day celebrations in Ireland have been postponed following a series of violent attacks targeting the Indian community, the Ireland India Council announced Monday. The council, which promotes cultural and trade ties between India and Ireland, cited safety concerns as the primary reason for the delay.
“We feel that the situation at the moment for holding India Day is not conducive,” said Prashant Shukla, co-chairman of the council, after meeting with Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris.
The event, set for Sunday, has been organised in partnership with the Irish government since 2015 and features a variety of cultural performances. Shukla called the decision to postpone “very difficult” but necessary to protect the community.
The Irish police declined to provide details about the incidents when approached by the news agency AFP.
Earlier this month, the Indian Embassy in Dublin issued a safety alert following an uptick in physical assaults against Indian nationals. The embassy advised Indians to “take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially in odd hours.”
The Irish Embassy in New Delhi also condemned the attacks and confirmed ongoing police investigations.
VIOLENT ATTACKS ON INDIANS IN IRELAND
Local media have reported several disturbing incidents. A six-year-old Indian-origin girl was assaulted and subjected to racial slurs in southeast Ireland last week.
Meanwhile, The Irish Times reported that an Indian taxi driver in Dublin was attacked with a broken bottle by two passengers who told him to “go back to your country.”
Shukla expressed worry over the rapid spread of hate on social media platforms. In an interview with Irish broadcaster RTE, he pointed to growing “extreme right propaganda and some false perception” blaming Indian immigrants for Ireland’s housing crisis.
WHEN WILL THE NEW DATE BE ANNOUNCED?
The council said the new date for India Day, described by an Irish government website as “one of the largest India-related events in Ireland,” will be announced later.
India Day events mark India’s independence from British rule on August 15 and are celebrated worldwide by the Indian diaspora. Ireland is home to approximately 80,000 people of Indian descent, making up about one percent of the country’s population.
INDIAN COMMUNITY IN IRELAND DEMANDS HATE CRIME TASK FORCE
Amid a surge in racially motivated attacks targeting people of Indian origin, the Indian community in Ireland is urging the government to take urgent action. They demand the formation of a cross-departmental task force to tackle hate crimes and violence.
Representatives from the Ireland India Council (IIC) planned to meet with Ireland’s deputy prime minister, Tanaiste Simon Harris, on Monday afternoon (Irish Standard Time) to advocate for tougher measures.
Among their demands is the formal recognition of attacks on Indians as hate crimes, a move they say would ensure proper recording, investigation, and prosecution of these offences, according to the UK’s Daily Mail.
The council also intends to push for laws that would hold parents accountable for repeated violent behaviour by minors.
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With inputs from agencies