US advocacy groups step up protests against India's voter roll revision, plan demonstrations in six cities

US-based advocacy groups have been drumming up support for the campaign against the revision of electoral rolls in India by organising demonstrations in several American cities.

The Hindus for Human Rights and its partner organisations, such as the Indian American Muslim Council, staged demonstrations in Washington, New York, Fremont and Atlanta from October 9 to 11.

At some protests, activists carried placards of ‘Overseas Friends of Cockroach Janata Party’ with slogans “No Gyanu, No SIR”.

A fresh round of demonstrations has been planned for the next four days beginning Thursday in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Austin and New York City.

The protests focused on India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), an Election Commission process for reviewing and updating voter rolls, said Ria Chakrabarty, Senior Policy Director, Hindus for Human Rights.

“The US demonstrations challenged exclusions under that process and called for accountability from the institutions responsible for protecting the vote,” she said.

Chakrabarty said the emphasis on women’s rights at the New York and Washington demonstrations also reflected growing alarm over the treatment of women during the protests in India.