Khalistan supporters again stage stir at Indian mission in London

The over three-hour protest had a tense moment when protestors turned aggressive and violent, throwing water bottles and a smoke flares at the main gate of the high commission.

A massive protest by pro-Khalistani groups outside the Indian high commission in London on Wednesday provided a glimpse to the unsettled days of the mid-1980s when relations between the Indian state and section of the Sikh community were at their nadir. The over three-hour protest had a tense moment when protestors turned aggressive and violent, throwing water bottles and a smoke flares at the main gate of the high commission.

Police push back pro-Khalistan protesters during a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday. (AP)

Police, who were on stand-by, were immediately signalled to join the forces as a show of strength.

On Sunday, the Punjab Police’s attempt to nab Amritpal Singh has manifested in Khalistani supporters taking down the Tricolour from atop the Indian High Commission. The protest on Wednesday was an extension of what happened three days ago, with likelihood of more such protests happening in the coming weeks.

But, this time, the protestors were barricaded on the road opposite the Indian high commission where they came face-to-face with police who lined up at the barricades to keep a close watch.

The protesters came with sophisticated sound systems, flags and banners from different parts of the UK. Buses, which had ferried them to central London, were parked around nearby roads.

Amidst chants favouring Khalistan, the protesters held governments in India responsible for the rampant drug consumption in Punjab, and demanded that the alleged police repression be halted in the state. During the stir, the staff of the Indian high commission unfurled an additional Tricolour from its terrace, which seemed to further rile them. A police helicopter hovered during the last hour of the protest.

New Delhi has constantly apprised the UK authorities about the activities of pro-Khalistani groups, demanding sterner action. In the coming days, experts believe that the demand will see greater urgency and may even strain relations between the countries.

Indian high commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, said there is “no truth to the sensationalist lies being circulated on social media” about the situation in Punjab.