The signatories also issued a warning using language attributed to Abhijit Dipke. Citing Ambedkar’s views, they argued that democratic disagreements should be addressed through constitutional methods rather than what they described as “anarchic street protests” aimed at challenging democratic processes. They cautioned against weakening constitutional democracy in the name of protecting it.
The statement comes amid protests by opposition parties against the Election Commission, with opposition leaders questioning the fairness of the electoral process and alleging irregularities in elections. The Cockroach Janata Party has also launched a campaign against the Commission, holding several protests over the past few days. Abhijit Dipke has been leading these movements and has been detained twice during the course of the protests.
In the statement, the signatories alleged that an attempt was being made to create doubts about Indian democracy. “An extremely inappropriate and sinister conspiracy has been hatched to sow seeds of doubt in Indian democracy. Court cases that are pending consideration are being used as a weapon, and the issue is then amplified on the streets with the help of anarchist forces,” the statement said.
It further alleged that these forces had historically and ideologically never believed in the constitutional system of governance. The signatories argued that these developments were being carried out in the name of saving democracy, even as they risked undermining the very system they claimed to defend.
The statement also expressed concern over the situation, saying people of Indian origin around the world were distressed and surprised by the developments. “We are astonished by the contradiction inherent in this entire situation. More importantly, as conscious citizens concerned about the country’s future and as people who identify themselves as ‘Indians’ around the world, we are deeply distressed by the current circumstances,” it said.
The students expressed regret that, in some sections, a tendency to refuse to accept election results, continuously question constitutional institutions and prioritise “the streets over Parliament” had gained prominence. They warned against practices that, in their view, could weaken confidence in democratic institutions and constitutional processes.
The signatories are associated with universities in 27 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Japan and Singapore. They include students, researchers and former students connected with institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Harvard University, Stanford University and the London School of Economics.
The statement explicitly clarified that the signatories’ association with these institutions did not mean that the universities themselves had endorsed or supported the statement.
The joint declaration has brought international attention to the domestic debate over the Election Commission, electoral fairness and the role of public protests. Its signatories have emphasised constitutional methods as the means of resolving democratic disagreements while expressing concern over what they view as a growing challenge to public confidence in India’s constitutional institutions.
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