On Monday, a group of individuals from the Sikh community assembled outside the British High Commission in Chanakyapuri to demonstrate against the act of pro-Khalistani separatists who had lowered the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission in London a day before.
The protesters, who were carrying the tricolor and placards, raised the slogan “Bharat humara swabhiman hai (India is our pride)” while expressing their strong disapproval towards any act that disrespects the national flag. They were resolute in their stance and made it clear that they would not tolerate any insult to the esteemed symbol of their nation.
Expressing his dismay, one of the protesters stated, “The incident that took place in London is indeed unfortunate. As Indians, we take immense pride in our nation and urge the British government to take appropriate measures against those responsible for this act. A person who cannot show respect towards our national flag will never be able to respect anyone else, any other country or any religion.”
Another protester called for strict legal action to be taken against the culprits and stated, “Those responsible for this shameful act must face the consequences. There should be no tolerance for such behavior.”
“Our Sikh community is an integral part of our country and we take pride in it. As Sikhs, we stand united and strongly advocate peace. However, if our national flag is disrespected, we cannot remain silent and will not tolerate such an act,” emphasized the protester.
Details About The Initial Incident
The tricolor flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was grabbed at by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans on Sunday, leading to an arrest related to the violent disorder.
On Sunday, India summoned the British deputy high commissioner and demanded an explanation for the “lack of security measures” in place. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a strongly-worded statement expressing India’s dissatisfaction with the UK government’s indifferent attitude towards the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK, labeling it as “unacceptable.”
Officials from the mission said the “attempted but failed” attack had been foiled and that the tricolor was now flying “grander”. An investigation into the matter has been initiated. The Metropolitan Police also reported that two security personnel suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization.
Top British officials have condemned the act of vandalism at the Indian High Commission as “disgraceful” and “completely unacceptable,” assuring that the UK government will take the security of the mission seriously.
Authorities are cracking down on pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh in Punjab, as a result of which the banned terrorist organization, Sikhs For Justice, is conducting what they call “Referendum 2020.”