LONDON: Fifty Indian diaspora and community organisations in the UK have written an open letter to the President of India expressing serious concerns over “organised overseas campaigns targeting India’s democratic and constitutional institutions” following demonstrations on Oct 16 and 17 outside the India high commission in London and the Gandhi statue on Parliament Square which YouTuber Dhruv Rathee flew over to take part in. The demonstrations were held in solidarity with the youth of India calling for the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.The letter calls on the appropriate authorities in India to “examine credible evidence concerning any coordination, support, or collaboration between political and advocacy networks and extremist or separatist elements, including any alleged foreign-backed activities directed against India’s national interests”.The letter says the protests, organised by the Students’ Federation of India-UK, South Asia Solidarity group and Indian Overseas Congress’s youth wing, triggered “serious concerns among sections of the Indian diaspora regarding the activities of certain political, ideological, and advocacy networks operating on British soil”.It raises concerns regarding the presence or involvement of Pakistani and Bangladeshi Islamist organisations and pro-Khalistan separatist activists in connection with these demonstrations and “the wider anti-India mobilisation”.It calls on the Indian authorities to investigate allegations of incitement, organised violence, unlawful intimidation, deliberate disinformation, or “attempts to destabilise India’s democratic processes from overseas”, and to take action where wrongdoing is established, adding the UK must “ensure that British democratic freedoms are not exploited to facilitate intimidation, extremism, or activities that threaten peaceful coexistence between communities”.
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