‘Misuse of democratic freedom’: India on EAM’s UK event breach
The incident occurred on the second day of Jaishankar’s nearly week-long visit to the UK and Ireland and after he had completed an engagement at Chatham House
New Delhi India on Thursday condemned a breach in the security for external affairs minister S Jaishankar in the UK after a pro-Khalistan protester broke past a police barrier and got close to the minister’s motorcade in London, saying it expected the British government to deliver on its diplomatic obligations to protect visiting dignitaries.
The incident occurred on the second day of Jaishankar’s nearly week-long visit to the UK and Ireland and after he had completed an engagement at Chatham House, home to the Royal Institute of International Affairs, on Wednesday evening. People familiar with the matter said the incident was being taken seriously, in view of its security implications and India’s long-standing concerns about activities of pro-Khalistan elements in the UK. The British chargé d’affaires was called in to the external affairs ministry to register a protest, they said.
Hours after India’s condemnation, the British foreign ministry too condemned the incident and said attempts to threaten or disrupt public events were unacceptable. The Metropolitan Police had acted to address the situation and the UK is committed to ensuring the security of all diplomatic visitors, it said.
Videos posted on social media showed a small group of pro-Khalistan protesters gathered on the opposite side of the road from Chatham House and protested with yellow flags behind metal barriers while Jaishankar was speaking within the building. The protesters shouted slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabad” and against India and Jaishankar.
{{/usCountry}}Videos posted on social media showed a small group of pro-Khalistan protesters gathered on the opposite side of the road from Chatham House and protested with yellow flags behind metal barriers while Jaishankar was speaking within the building. The protesters shouted slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabad” and against India and Jaishankar.
{{/usCountry}}As Jaishankar, flanked by other Indian officials, emerged from the building at the conclusion of his event and was about to enter a vehicle that was part of a motorcade, a man with an Indian flag emerged from behind the barriers, got past police personnel and sprinted towards the car.
The tall and bearded man stood in front of the vehicle and jostled with police personnel before tearing the Indian flag. Shortly thereafter, police bundled the man away and took him behind the metal barriers on the other side of the road.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the incident amounted to a breach of the minister’s security and condemned the “provocative activities” of pro-Khalistan elements.
“We have seen the footage of a breach of security during the visit of EAM [external affairs minister] to the UK. We condemn the provocative activities of this small group of separatists and extremists,” Jaiswal said.
“We deplore the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements. We expect the host government in such cases to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations.”
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We strongly condemn the incident that took place outside Chatham House yesterday during the external affairs minister’s visit to the UK. While the UK upholds the right to peaceful protest, any attempts to intimidate, threaten, or disrupt public events are completely unacceptable.”
The spokesperson added, “The Metropolitan Police acted swiftly to address the situation, and we remain fully committed to ensuring the security of all our diplomatic visitors, in line with our international obligations”
The people cited above said on condition of anonymity that the incident was being seen in New Delhi as a serious breach of the minister’s security as the actions of the protester could have had serious ramifications.
“The man managed to get very close to the minister’s vehicle. What if had thrown something at the minister?” one of the people said.
During the event at Chatham House, Jaishankar was asked by the moderator about the status of India’s minorities, including Muslims and Sikhs, and he said this issue is usually raised because of “certain politics prevalent in some parts of world” and this trend is “driven by vote bank considerations” and pandering to “identity lobbies”.
“We don’t think that’s very healthy politics,” Jaishankar said, adding that good politics is about treating all citizens equally.
India has repeatedly protested to the UK government in recent years about the activities of pro-Khalistan elements, including violent demonstrations outside the Indian high commission in London. In some instances, Khalistani groups have joined hands with Pakistani organisations for protests outside Indian diplomatic premises.
Bilateral ties were briefly hit after a pro-Khalistan activist entered the compound of the Indian high commission in London and pulled down the national flag during a protest in March 2023.
India briefly reduced security outside the British high commission and the envoy’s residence in New Delhi in retaliation for the violent protest outside the Indian mission. Delhi Police also registered a case under several penal provisions, including the anti-terror law, against Indian nationals allegedly involved in the protest.
In September 2023, pro-Khalistan protesters barred Indian high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami from entering a gurdwara in Scotland.
In January, India urged the UK to act against anti-India elements involved in disrupting the screening of Kangana Ranaut’s new film “Emergency” in several British cities.
