WASHINGTON, June 10: A group of Indian citizens living in Washington were planning a silent vigil on Tuesday afternoon outside their embassy where India’s Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishan Advani will be meeting diplomats.

The protesters would gather near a statue of Mahatama Gandhi and sit there silently, holding placards condemning Mr Advani’s extremist policies, the organizers said.

They will try to hand over a protest note to the Indian deputy premier if they are allowed to meet him.

“It is important to let Mr Advani know what some non-resident Indians think,” said a statement distributed with the announcement of the protest.

“We should act and think about the fear that this man has instilled in countless Indian hearts, from his ‘rath yatra’ to his crowing over the nuclear tests, his chilling hatred for Pakistanis, his seeking military alliances with the United States and his hobnobbing with (US Attorney-General John) Ashcroft,” it said.