'India Day' Celebrations Delayed In Ireland Over 'Racist' Attacks

One of Ireland's largest celebrations of Indian culture was postponed following "violent attacks" on the community in recent months, the Ireland India Council which promotes ties between the countries announced Monday.

"We feel that the situation at the moment for holding India Day is not conducive," the cultural and trade association's co-chairman Prashant Shukla told reporters after a meeting with Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris.

The celebrations, scheduled for Sunday, have been organised by the council in collaboration with the Irish government since 2015 and feature various cultural performances.

Shukla said the decision to postpone the event was "very difficult" but was 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 the meeting with Indian community leaders.

Ireland's police force did not clarify the number or nature of these incidents when asked by AFP.

The Indian Embassy in Dublin earlier this month issued a safety warning after "an increase in instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently".

Indians "are advised to take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially in odd hours", the embassy said in a statement.

The Irish embassy in New Delhi said it "condemns" the attacks and said it was 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 was attacked with a broken bottle by two passengers in Dublin and told to "go back to your country".

Shukla said there was "concern (...) at the speed of hate coming on our social media".

In an interview with Irish broadcaster RTE, he pointed to a rise in "extreme right propaganda and some false perception" that Indian immigrants were to blame for Ireland's housing problems.

Shukla said the new date for the event, which is "one of the largest India-related events in Ireland", according to an Irish government website, will be announced at a later date.

India celebrates gaining independence from British colonial rule on August 15, with events held around the world by its large diaspora.

There are around 80,000 people of Indian descent in Ireland, according to various estimates -- around one percent of Ireland's population.

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