Solidarity meet planned at Indian mission in UK

Several Indian diaspora groups have called for a “We Stand By High Commission of India” demonstration outside India House in London on Tuesday, as a show of solidarity following vandalism at the premises by Khalistan extremists over the weekend. Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami hosted a diaspora briefing at India House on Monday evening and addressed the concerns of the community leaders following the attack that resulted in broken windows. An attempted pull down by the extremists of the Indian tricolour that flies at the Indian High Commission was intercepted by an official and has been followed up by an additional larger Tiranga on the main facade.

Watch: Show of support by Indians in front of Indian High commission in London. Development comes even as Khalistani extremists vandalised the mission over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/jbNVRXgKac

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 21, 2023

The Metropolitan Police said its “enquiries continue” and one person arrested on suspicion of violent disorder has since been bailed to appear in court in mid-June. Friends of India Society International (FISI) UK, one of the organisations behind Tuesday’s solidarity meet, said the Indian diaspora is deeply shocked by the “disgraceful and abominable act” of desecration of the Indian flag by extremist forces. The National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK was among several groups to voice their condemnation of the vandalism.

The UK Foreign,Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has declined to comment on the matter except pointing to the tweet of Foreign Office Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad, who had said the “UK government will always take the security of the Indian High Commission seriously”.