Khalistani extremists harassed and tried to assault External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in London on Thursday (IST) as he was leaving a car after attending an event at the Chatham House think tank.
Pro-Khalistan supporters staged a protest outside the venue where EAM Dr S Jaishankar participated in a discussion held by Chatham House. A video circulating online shows a man running toward Jaishankar’s vehicle and tearing the Indian national flag in front of London police officers, who seemed to be unresponsive to the act of vandalism.
Several pro-Khalistan supporters held flags and protested outside the venue where External Affairs Minister Jaishankar participated in a discussion.
Over the years, India has urged countries like Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom to take legal action against Khalistani terrorists. Prime Minister Modi has personally raised this issue with the leaders of these nations, particularly Canada, where Sikhs make up nearly 2% of the population.
UK govt’s leaked report says…
A leaked report on the UK government’s ‘Extremism Review’ has highlighted two types of extremism originating from the Indian subcontinent: pro-Khalistan extremism and Hindu nationalist extremism.
The report, titled ‘Extremely Confused: The Government’s New Counter-Extremism Review Revealed’, was authored by Andrew Gilligan and Dr. Paul Scott for the Policy Exchange think tank and was released earlier this week. It claims that Hindu nationalist extremism has been mentioned in such a review for the first time.
As per the leaked report, the longest section is labelled “Understand” and lists nine types of extremism in the following order – “Islamist, extreme right-wing, extreme misogyny, pro-Khalistan extremism, Hindu nationalist extremism, environmental extremism, Left wing, anarchist and single-issue extremism (LASI), violence fascination and conspiracy theories”, PTI reported.
“Pages 17-18 of ‘Understand’ are devoted to two types of extremism which have their origins in the Indian subcontinent – what is described as pro-Khalistan extremism and Hindu nationalist extremism. With regards to the former, the report offers the caveat that support for a Sikh state of Khalistan is not necessarily extremist; the problem is when this outlook leads to the advocacy of violence in support of that cause,” reads the Policy Exchange report, PTI reported.
Earlier this year, Sikh protesters pulled down the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission in London and smashed the building’s windows in protest over the arrest of Amritpal Singh.
Support for a Sikh state of Khalistan is not necessarily extremist; the problem is when this outlook leads to the advocacy of violence in support of that cause.
India’s foreign ministry condemned these incidents and called in the UK’s deputy high commissioner in New Delhi to protest the security breach at the embassy in London.
(With inputs from agencies)
