India demands ‘action’ from US and UK and seeks prosecution of those ‘involved in vandalism incidents’
‘We are not just interested in assurances, I think we would like to see action’
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Your support makes all the difference.India has demanded “action” against the perpetrators just days after pro-Khalistani activists reportedly vandalised Indian missions in the US and the UK.
The Indian government said on Friday that it would like to see “action” — and not just words of “assurance” — against the perpetrators.
Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson for the Indian ministry of external affairs told the media on Friday that India hoped the host governments would “prosecute those involved in these incidents instead of holding out assurances”.
To convey its displeasure over the incidents, the Indian government summoned diplomats from the UK and the US and lodged a strong protest.
Mr Bagchi said that the Indian government expects the US and the UK to take precautions and preventive measures so as to avoid such incidents taking place in the future.
“I think we are not just interested in assurances, I think we would like to see action,” he said.
Mr Bagchi also said that India had raised the issue with the Canadian government as well. “It is our expectation that in any country our diplomats can perform their legitimate and normal diplomatic duties and that the host government will ensure a conducive environment for doing so.”
Earlier, Indian external affairs minister, S Jaishankar had also taken a strong view of pro-Khalistan supporters pulling down the Indian tricolour at the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom.
India would not accept differential standards of security, he said.
Mr Jaishankar also accused the UK government of not meeting the obligation of providing security to the diplomats of the Indian mission.
“On the flag and the security of the high commission, in this particular case in the UK – whenever any country sends an embassy anywhere abroad, it is the obligation of the receiving country to provide security for a diplomat to do his work,” he added.
“It is the obligation of the receiving country to ensure the embassy or the high commission or the consulate and their premises are respected. These obligations were not met.”
Meanwhile, it was reported that a group of Indian-Americans held a rally in front of the consulate in San Francisco on Friday after the consulate was vandalised by pro-Khalistan activists earlier last week.
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