Any attack on Indian High Commission completely unacceptable: UK Foreign Secretary

There has been a very visible Metropolitan Police security presence at India House in central London since the High Commission building was targeted by Khalistani extremists, who tried to pull down the Indian tricolour and smashed windows back in March.

Any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in London are completely unacceptable.

We have made clear to @VDoraiswami and the Government of India that the safety of staff at the High Commission is paramount.

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) July 6, 2023

India had issued summons to the Canadian High Commissioner after ‘Kill India’ posters sparked a row. The pro-Khalistan leaders released the poster and invited people to a ‘Khalistan Freedom Rally’ in Canada on July 8. The flyer labelled Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and Consul General of India in Toronto Apoorva Srivastava as assassins of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The incident triggered widespread outrage among the Punjabi diaspora settled in Canada.

Meanwhile in the US, Khalistan supporters reportedly attacked the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. The supporters tried to set the consulate on fire in the second such act of violence within months. The US government has condemned the incident and termed it as a “criminal offence”

Earlier in March, the tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission was grabbed at by the protesters chanting pro-Khalistan slogans. Following the incident on March 19, India registered a strong protest with the British government over the safety of its diplomatic mission and questioned the lack of sufficient security at the premises.

(With inputs from PTI)