The call for this international demonstration comes amid the escalating political turmoil in New Delhi, where opposition parties and civil rights groups have been protesting over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls, marked by demands for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee called for a protest at London's Parliament Square against alleged “vote chor” and the threat to Indian democracy on Saturday, October 17.
Rathee was recently detained from his home in Gurugram hours before the October 10 protest in Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The YouTuber, however, had alleged that he was “kidnapped”.
Protest call in London
“I’ve just reached London,” Rathee wrote in an X post, and urged his supporters to assemble in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at 12:00 PM.
In a sharply worded post, Rathee wrote: “It’s time the world sees the reality of vote chor and murderer of democracy. International danka bajane ka time aa gaya hai.”
“Join the protest tomorrow in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Parliament Square at 12pm if you’re here,” he said. “Jai Hind”
‘Kidnapped’
After being released from detention, Dhruv Rathee claimed he was “kidnapped” by about 20 people from his home at around 7 am, who took him to multiple police stations. He had also claimed that the group took him away before he could establish their identities or ask why they had come.
“I was not detained, I was kidnapped,” he said, recounting the incident and raising questions about the way he was taken from his residence.
Rathee has also shown his Indian passport in a video to reaffirm his Indian citizenship amid speculation. He also refuted allegations that he had no intention of attending the protest.
Why has Dhruv Rathee called for a protest in London?
The call for this international demonstration comes amid the escalating political turmoil in New Delhi, where opposition parties and civil rights groups have been protesting over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The domestic agitation was recently intensified, marked by demands for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and clashes between demonstrators and the Delhi Police, after which Jantar Mantar was denotified as a designated protest site.
Neha Bora, Abhijeet Dipke detained
All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora was released early Saturday morning, while Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke will be produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court, the Delhi Police said.
Both were taken into preventive custody ahead of the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest march at Connaught Place's Central Park in Delhi on Friday.
Bora was detained at Mandi House, while Dipke was detained at Jhandewalan, as they were on their way to Connaught Place, police sources told PTI.
About the Author
Arshdeep Kaur
Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers. <br><br> Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging. <br><br> At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism. <br><br> Arshdeep's academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist. <br><br> Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.