A day after alleged Khalistani supporters grabbed the Indian Tricolour atop the Indian High Commission, the United Kingdom Government on Monday termed the acts of vandalism as “disgraceful” and “completely unacceptable.” Britain said it will take the security of the Indian High Commission in London “seriously.” One person was arrested later in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, officials from the Indian mission in London said the “attempted but failed” attack was foiled and the Tricolour was now flying “grander,” with a larger tricolour now adorning the India House façade.
As regards the incident of vandalism, Scotland Yard said it was called to reports of disorder on Sunday afternoon and that a man has been arrested as its enquiries continue.
“There was no report of any injury, however windows were broken at the High Commission building,” the Metropolitan Police statement said.
Meanwhile, British Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi’s tweet, expressing concern over the ongoing action to arrest radical preacherAmritpal Singh and arrest of some Khalistani elements, has received condemnation. Dhesi, an MP from Slough, had tweeted, “Very worrying reports coming from #India, of the imposition of an internet blackout in the #Punjab state, with mass arrests and restrictions on gatherings. Praying that the tense situation is soon resolved and that human rights of all are respected.”
Taking exception to his message, Congress spokesperson and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi criticised Dhesi for “nurturing Khalistani sentiments” in the United Kingdom and said his tweet will not fetch him new votes from Slough “which has a massive chunk of Pakistan supporting population.”
Sharing the photograph in a Twitter post, the BJP’s national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, “Jhanda Ooncha Rahe Hamara-UK Govt must act... Punjab and Punjabis have a glorious track record of serving/protecting the nation. Handful of jumping jacks sitting in the UK do not represent Punjab.”
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed the incident on Sunday at the Indian High Commission “utterly shocking” and a “major insult”.
The British condemnation came after India on Sunday evening summoned the senior-most UK diplomat in New Delhi to convey its “strong protest” at the actions taken by separatist and extremist elements against the Indian High Commission in London.
British Deputy High Commissioner Christina Scott was summoned to the MEA in view of the incident as High Commissioner Alex Ellis was out of Delhi, sources said.
Ellis described the incident as “disgraceful” and “totally unacceptable”.
“An explanation was demanded for the complete absence of the British security that allowed these elements to enter the High Commission premises. She was reminded in this regard of the basic obligations of the UK Government under the Vienna Convention,” the Ministry of External (MEA) statement said.
Foreign Office minister Lord Tariq Ahmad tweeted soon after the attack to say he was “appalled” and that the British government would always take security at the mission seriously.
Responding to the incident, London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan said he condemned “the violent disorder and vandalism that took place”.
“There is no place in our city for this kind of behaviour,” he tweeted.
Diaspora groups also expressed their outrage at the incident, with several gurdwaras among those condemning the violence.
In a joint statement issued from across the UK, British Sikh community leaders said: “Everyone has the right for peaceful protest, but the use of violence or threats against Indian High Commission staff and forcefully trying to remove Tiranga (Tricolour), the national flag of India, is not acceptable and we condemn these actions. Such actions cannot achieve anything apart from damaging UK and India ties and our community cohesion.”
Jaswinder Kumar, President of the Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha Bedford, and Gurmail Singh, vice-president of the Ramgarhia Sikh Society Bedford, were among those to issue similar condemnations.
British Sikh House of Lords peer, Lord Rami Ranger, said the Sikh community is in “shock and disbelief” at how a handful of the misguided bunch can tarnish an illustrious and patriotic community.
The Indian National Students’ Association UK also expressed deep concern and condemned the incident as an “attack on our sovereignty and dignity, as this act of violence puts our diplomats and staff in danger”.