Ireland India Council delays ‘India Day’ celebrations amid attacks on community

London, Aug 12 (PTI) The Ireland India Council has said it has postponed its annual “India Day” celebrations in Dublin, scheduled for Sunday, due to a recent spate of violent attacks on members of the community.

Prashant Shukla, co-chairman of the diaspora group working on closer India-Irish relations, said on Monday that it was not a “conducive” time to hold the event, coinciding with Indian Independence Day, amid safety concerns for Indians in Ireland.

He was speaking soon after a meeting with the Irish Deputy Prime Minister, Tánaiste Simon Harris, to discuss the community’s concerns in the wake of violent attacks in recent weeks.

“We discussed a range of issues, particularly safety and security of Indians in Ireland,” Shukla told reporters after the meeting.

“We want to make an announcement, as we feel the situation at the moment for holding India Day is not conducive. We will review the situation and announce new dates,” he said.

Following Monday's talks, Harris took to social media to welcome the “very positive contribution” of the Indian community in Ireland.

“I completely condemn the despicable acts of violence and racism that we have seen against some members of the Indian community in recent weeks. I want to thank the Indian community for their very positive contribution to Ireland,” said the Deputy PM.  India Day has been organised by the Ireland India Council every year since 2015 at Farmleigh House and Estate at Phoenix Park in the Irish capital, in collaboration with government and community organisations such as the Federation of Indian Communities in Ireland (FICI).

The Garda National Diversity Unit of the Irish police had said last week that it was looking forward to joining the event as an opportunity to “provide any help and reassurance in light of recent concerns”.

The event typically features an array of Indian and Irish songs, classical and Bollywood dance, music, and cultural presentations, including fashion shows and a craft market.  “The main purpose of India Day is friendship and the celebration of freedom, not only by the Indian community but also the Irish community. It is an unfortunate decision, but (members of the Indian community) stand by it because it is the correct decision,” Shukla told Irish media.

He revealed that hundreds of performers and volunteers had been preparing for the event all year, but the situation had forced them to take this "very, very difficult" decision.

Shukla added: “Above all, the safety and security of the members of the Indian community and wider Irish and multinational communities is more important than anything.

“We are not too concerned about the safety at the event, more about the perception in the social media created by some extreme right and extreme left propaganda… They also create a perception that Indians have taken over the streets and the housing problem is because of the Indians. So, we just want to balance these counter-narratives.” The Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, also issued a strongly worded statement this week against the “truly shocking” and "unprovoked" attacks.

“It is time to call out those who peddle racial hatred. It is time to stand up to those who seek to divide our community through rumour and malice,” reads Farrell's statement.

“The truth is that the Indian community in Dublin comprises many people who have come to Dublin to make an important and valued contribution to our society. We are all familiar with the vital presence of Indian professionals in our healthcare system, without whom many healthcare needs simply could not be met. Others apply their skills in other important sectors of the economy and also contribute to funding public services through their taxes,” it notes.

Ever since a brutal attack on a 40-year-old Indian man at Parkhill Road in the Tallaght suburb of Dublin last month hit global headlines, there have been several reports of similar targeted attacks on the community across Ireland.

An Indian Embassy advisory urged citizens to take "reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially in odd hours". On Tuesday, the embassy organised an “Open House” in Dublin inviting Indian nationals to raise their concerns and grievances.  Kerala nurse Anupa Achuthan’s six-year-old Ireland-born daughter Nia Naveen being assaulted outside her home in Waterford, south-east Ireland, and violent assaults on hotel chef Laxman Das, taxi driver Lakhvir Singh and entrepreneur and AI expert Dr Santosh Yadav are among those under investigation by the Irish police. PTI AK RD RD RD