Glasgow gurdwara incident: Envoy stopped from entering gurdwara, India flags it to UK

In a statement Saturday, the Indian High Commission in London said three persons from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” the visit Friday evening and one even attempted to violently force open the diplomatic vehicle as senior diplomats arrived at the Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib on Albert Drive.

As they hurled threats and abuses, the High Commissioner and Consul General of India decided to leave the premises to avert an altercation.

“On September 29, 2023, three persons – all from areas outside Scotland – disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurdwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner (HC) and the Consul General of India (CG),” the Indian High Commission said.

“This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues. The organisers included senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members, and a member of (the) Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival,” it said.

It said that one of three persons attempted to “violently force open the HC’s car door”, which will require suitable police consideration.

“It was due to the quick reaction of one of the organisers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided. The High Commission of India has reported this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police,” the statement said.

The Indian envoy was visiting Scotland to meet with the local authorities, university students, diaspora and members of the Scottish society.

CONCERNED: UK MINISTER

The FCDO Minister for Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, in a post on X, said she was “concerned to see” that the High Commissioner had been stopped from meeting the gurdwara committee in Glasgow.

“The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance, and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all,” she said.

(PTI adds from London: The gurdwara committee and local community leaders have since expressed their regret over the incident and have called on the authorities to take action against the culprits.

The local police said it was called to the “disturbance”, and its enquiries remain ongoing.

“We were called around 1.05 pm on Friday, 29 September, to a report of a disturbance that happened in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow. There were no reports of any injuries, and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances,” said a Police Scotland spokesperson.)

The Glasgow incident comes amid the ongoing diplomatic row over Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of a potential Indian government link to the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”.

CALL OUT: JAISHANKAR

In Washington DC Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said it was necessary to call out activities like violence, threats and intimidation against Indian diplomats and missions.

He said when freedom of speech extends to incitement and violence, then it is a misuse of freedom.

“Let’s not normalise what is happening in Canada,” Jaishankar said during a media interaction.

“We have had an ongoing problem with Canada and the Canadian government for some years now. The ongoing problem really revolves around the permissiveness to terrorism, extremism and violence. This permissiveness is also reflected in the fact that some important extradition requests have not been responded to from their side,” he said.

“We have had smoke bombs thrown at the mission, we have had violence in front of consulates, there are posters put up. Do you consider this normal? If this had happened to any other country, how would they react? Let’s not normalise what is happening in Canada. It is important to call out what is happening there,” Jaishankar said.

“What is happening in Canada, had it happened anywhere else, do you think the world would’ve taken it with equanimity?” he asked.

He also said that it was not acceptable to make threats and intimidate diplomats in the name of freedom of speech.

“We don’t need to learn from other people what freedom of speech is about. But we can tell people this. We don’t think freedom of speech extends to incitement, to violence. That to us is a misuse of freedom,” he said.

Jaishankar said he always asks people one question: How would they react if they were in his place? “If it was your diplomats, your embassies, your people, what would be your reaction?” he asked.

He said the entire debate should focus not just on Issue One but also on Issue Two and the bigger picture, a very serious picture.

“After all, I was thinking… When was the last time that any of our missions was intimidated to a point where it could not continue with its normal function? I will have to think back. And if someone says this could happen in a G7 country, in a Commonwealth country, it gives you a lot to think about,” Jaishankar said.

On Trudeau’s allegations, he said India has already pointed out to Canada that this is not the Government of India’s policy.

“But if they are prepared to share with us specifics and anything relevant, we are also open to looking at it. So in that sense, that’s where the matter stands,” he said.

TARGETING OF MISSION

Besides having ignited the diplomatic row with Canada, the issue of Khalistan supporters has become an irritant in India-UK ties as well – protests have been staged outside the Indian High Commission and consulates in the UK.

Early this year, a group vandalised the Indian High Commission in London and tried to bring down the Indian flag at the premises.

New Delhi has consistently asked for security of its diplomats based in the UK.

Earlier this month, The Indian Express reported that the National Investigation Agency had identified 15 of the 45 people involved in the London incident and was preparing to send their details to the immigration department to issue lookout circulars against them.