YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has issued a call for a protest in London’s Parliament Square, urging his followers to assemble at the Mahatma Gandhi statue at 12:00 PM. The planned demonstration, scheduled for Saturday, October 17, is intended to draw international attention to what Rathee described as a threat to Indian democracy and alleged irregularities in the country’s voting processes.
This call for an international gathering coincides with escalating political tension in New Delhi, where opposition parties and various civil rights groups have been staging protests for several days. These domestic agitations are primarily focused on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The situation in the capital has remained volatile, leading authorities to denotify the Jantar Mantar area as a designated protest site.
Rathee’s involvement in the ongoing discourse follows a personal incident occurring on October 10. Prior to a protest scheduled for that day in Delhi, the YouTuber claimed he was taken from his Gurugram residence by approximately 20 individuals whom he identified as having "kidnapped" him. Rathee stated that these individuals took him to multiple police stations without providing clear explanations for their actions or identifying themselves properly. Following his release, he confirmed his Indian citizenship by displaying his passport and rejected claims suggesting he had no intention of attending the Delhi protest.
The broader unrest in New Delhi has resulted in several preventive detentions by the police. According to official reports, All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora was taken into custody near Mandi House while on her way to a planned march at Connaught Place’s Central Park. She was released early on Saturday morning. Concurrently, Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), was detained at Jhandewalan and is set to be produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court.
These developments underscore the deepening rift between activists and authorities regarding the integrity of the electoral process. The demand for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar has become a central rallying point for the protesters, who argue that the SIR of electoral rolls contains significant irregularities. The Delhi Police have maintained a heavy presence as these groups attempt to organize marches and demonstrations across various parts of the national capital.
As the agitation shifts toward the international stage, observers note that the use of social media and global platforms has become a key strategy for protesters to maintain momentum. By moving the conversation to London, demonstrators aim to pressure the administration into addressing their grievances regarding the Election Commission’s recent actions.
The situation remains fluid in Delhi, with ongoing police monitoring of activist groups and protest sites. While some detainees have been released, the legal processes for others, such as Abhijeet Dipke, remain pending before the magistrate. The impact of these international protests on the domestic political landscape is yet to be determined, though the calls for transparency in the electoral system continue to grow both in India and abroad.
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