ONE of Ireland’s largest events celebrating Indian culture has been postponed following recent violent incidents targeting members of the Indian community, the Ireland India Council said on Monday.
“We feel that the situation at the moment for holding India Day is not conducive,” council co-chairman Prashant Shukla told reporters after meeting Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris.
The annual event, scheduled for Sunday, has been organised by the council in collaboration with the Irish government since 2015 and features cultural performances.
Shukla said the decision to postpone the celebration was “very difficult” but taken for the “safety” of the community.
“I completely condemn the despicable acts of violence and racism that we have seen against some members of the community in recent weeks,” Harris said in an X post after meeting Indian community leaders.
Ireland’s police force did not provide details about the number or nature of the incidents when asked by AFP.
Earlier this month, the Indian Embassy in Dublin issued a safety advisory after “an increase in instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently”.
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 said it “condemns” the attacks and is in contact with police regarding investigations.
Local media reported that a six-year-old girl of Indian origin was assaulted and called racial slurs last week in southeast Ireland. The Irish Times also reported that an Indian taxi driver in Dublin was attacked with a broken bottle by two passengers and told to “go back to your country”.
Shukla said there was concern about “the speed of hate coming on our social media” and cited “extreme right propaganda and some false perception” that Indian immigrants were responsible for Ireland’s housing problems.
According to an Irish government website, India Day is “one of the largest India-related events in Ireland”. The new date will be announced later.
India marks its independence from British colonial rule on August 15, with celebrations held worldwide by the Indian diaspora.
An estimated 80,000 people of Indian descent live in Ireland, making up around one per cent of the population.
(With inputs from agencies)
