Khalistani sympathisers outside the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, USA ( Source : @SinghDarshan18|Twitter)
New Delhi: India has registered strong protest with the United States and the United Kingdom at the actions taken by separatist and extremist elements respectively against the Indian Consulate General’s property in San Francisco, and the Indian High Commission in London. Both incidents of vandalisation happened on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
In San Francisco, the vandals broke through the security barriers, hit the door and windows with rods and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the consulate which the staff later removed.
In London, the supporters of Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh, who is declared a fugitive by the police in Punjab, created a ruckus and allegedly brought down the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday. They also waved Amritpal Singh-themed flags and posters.
In a meeting with the US Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi, India today conveyed its strong protest at the vandalisation of the property of the Consulate General of India, San Francisco by Khalistani sympathisers.
“The US Government was reminded of its basic obligation to protect and secure diplomatic representation. It was asked to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated. It further informed that the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. also conveyed New Delhi’s concerns to the US State Department along similar lines.
Yesterday late evening, India had summoned the senior-most UK diplomat in New Delhi late evening to convey India’s strong protest at the actions taken by separatist and extremist elements against the Indian High Commission in London earlier in the day. India demanded an explanation for the complete absence of 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.
“India finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK Government to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK,” the MEA stated, adding that it was expected that the UK Government would take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved in today’s incident, and put in place stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
– global bihari bureau
