KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
Foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar issued a warning to the Khalistan backers as he said that India was not a country that would put up with its national flag being pulled down by somebody; it was "very responsible" along with being "very firm".
Jaishankar referred to the incident last month in London where a group of protesters waved separatist Khalistani flags and chanted pro-Khalistani slogans. Media reports claimed that they were also seen pulling down the tricolour and flying atop the Indian High Commission.
The external affairs minister noted that an even bigger flag was immediately put up on the building to make a statement to the Khalistanis and the British.
As quoted by news agencies, Jaishankar said: "You have seen in the last few days some incidents in London, something in Canada, a little bit in Australia and San Francisco... This is not an India which will accept its national flag being pulled down by somebody."
The foreign minister was speaking at an interactive session as he further said: "The first thing our High Commissioner did when it happened: he got an even bigger flag and he put it right up there on that building."
He stated that "it was not only a statement to those so-called Khalistanis. It was also a statement to the British, saying this is my flag and I will make it even bigger if somebody tries to disrespect it".
He added, "there is today a different India, an India which is very responsible, but also very firm".
India registered its strong protest with the
British government over the safety of its diplomatic mission in the aftermath
of the incident in London. New Delhi also questioned the lack of sufficient
security on the premises.