A group of Sikhs gathered outside the British High Commission in Chanakyapuri in New Delhi today to protest pro-Khalistan activists taking down the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday.
Armed with the tricolour and placards, demonstrators raised the slogan ”Bharat humara swabhiman hai (India is our pride)” and said that they will not tolerate any insult to the tricolour.
The Indian flag flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was grabbed at and windows of the building were smashed by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans.
The deplorable act by the Khalistanis was committed after the Punjab government launched a major crackdown against radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathizer Amritpal Singh.
Scotland Yard said that a man has been arrested in connection with the vandalism at the Indian Mission.
India has meanwhile registered its strong protest with the UK government over the safety of its diplomatic mission and questioned the lack of sufficient security at the mission. India on Sunday night summoned the British deputy high commissioner and demanded an explanation over the complete ”absence of security”.
The UK government will take the security of the Indian High Commission here ”seriously”, top British officials have said as they condemned as ”disgraceful” and ”completely unacceptable” the vandalism at the mission.
In a tweet, 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 wrote.
Describing the incident as “disgraceful,” the British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis said it is “totally unacceptable”.
Meanwhile, hours after the Indian flag was brought down, a massive Tricolour graced the Indian High Commission building in London.