The recent incident at the Indian High Commission in London, where pro-Khalistan protesters pulled down the Indian flag, has sparked outrage and a diplomatic row. The group of protesters, who waved separatist flags and chanted pro-Khalistani slogans, were arrested for violent disorder.

Indian politicians, including Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi and Congress MP Rajeev Shukla, have condemned the incident and called for the strictest action against the Khalistan supporters by the UK government and police.

Officials from the Indian mission in London have reported that the attempted attack was foiled and that the tricolour is now flying even “grander”. However, the incident has raised concerns about the security of Indian diplomatic missions overseas, particularly in light of the pro-Khalistan movement.

The UK’s handling of the incident has also come under scrutiny, with the external affairs ministry in New Delhi summoning the senior-most British diplomat to protest the incident. Several videos on social media showed a Sikh man pulling down the flag outside the Indian mission in London, leading to a reminder of the UK government’s basic obligations under the Vienna Convention to ensure the security of diplomatic missions.

The pro-Khalistan movement seeks to establish a separate state for Sikhs in India, and incidents like this only serve to exacerbate tensions between the two communities. It is important for both India and the UK to address the issue of Khalistan and work towards finding a peaceful resolution.

Following the incident involving pro-Khalistan protesters who pulled down the tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission in London, officials from the mission reported that the “attempted but failed” attack had been foiled and that the tricolour was now flying “grander” than before