New Delhi: India has demanded the arrest and action against Khalistani supporters involved in pulling down the tricolor at the embassy in London on Sunday. New Delhi also demanded that the UK government bump up security at the High Commission to prevent such incidents in the future.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Monday said the UK Deputy Chief of Mission was summoned and India demanded an explanation and quick arrest and prosecution of the miscreants. “We have already put out India’s response to it in which the UK Deputy Chief of Mission was asked for an explanation. Perpetrators need to be arrested and prosecuted. We have clearly indicated to the British authorities the need to put up security at UK High Commission,” Kwatra told a press briefing.
The reaction came after 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. Meanwhile, British officials have condemned the vandalism calling it “disgraceful” and “completely unacceptable”. “I condemn the violent disorder and vandalism that took place at the Indian High Commission today. There is no place in our city for this kind of behavior. An investigation has been launched by the Met into today’s events,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a tweet.
The London Metropolitan police said they are investigating the incident and the Scotland Yard was called in. It added that a majority of the crowd had dispersed before they arrived. One arrest has been made and the investigation is in progress. Foreign Office minister Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon said he was “appalled” and the government would take the security of the Indian High Commission “seriously”. “This is a completely unacceptable action against the integrity of the Mission and its staff,” he tweeted. The Ministry of External Affairs earlier said the senior-most UK diplomat in New Delhi was summoned on Sunday to convey India’s “strong protest” at the actions taken by separatist and extremist elements against the Indian High Commission in London.
