India seeks strong action by UK over Pak stir in London

India on Wednesday lodged a strong protest with United Kingdom stating that it was “deeply concerned” over violent protest by Pakistanis in front of its High Commission in London.

A day after a protest demonstration by a large mob in front of the High Commission of India in London turned violent, New Delhi strongly urged the British Government to act against the culprits and ensure safety and security of its diplomats and other officials posted in the UK capital.

The protesters were mostly Pakistanis living in the UK. They turned up in front of the High Commission of India in London in large number to protest against New Delhi's recent decisions to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and reorganize the state into two Union Territories. Some Sikhs living in the UK and supporting the demand to carve out a separate Khalistan out of Punjab state of India also joined the protest.

Some of the protesters turned violent and broke a windowpane of the “India House” – the High Commission of India in London.

“We are deeply concerned by the reports of unruly demonstration by Pakistan incited elements and consequent organised vandalism of the property of the High Commission of India in London,” Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said.

Pakistanis held similar protests and resorted to vandalism in front of the High Commission of India in London on August 15 too.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had conveyed New Delhi's displeasure to his UK counterpart Boris Johnson over the “vandalism and violence” by Pakistani protesters in front of “India House” in London on the occasion of the Independence Day of India. Johnson had regretted the incident and assured that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure safety and security of the High Commission of India in London, its personnel and visitors.

Yet the protest on Tuesday again turned violent.

“This is the second time in a less than a month that such an incident has taken place affecting the security and the normal functioning of our Mission,” the MEA spokesperson said. “We consider these incidents to be unacceptable and have strongly urged the Government of (the) UK to take action against those involved, and take necessary steps to ensure the normal functioning of our Mission and the safety and security of our personnel.”

“Another violent protest outside the Indian High Commission in London today, 3 September 2019. Damage caused to the premises. @foreignoffice @UKinIndia @MEAIndia @DominicRaab @DrSJaishankar @PMOIndia @tariqahmadbt,” the High Commission of India in UK tweeted.

“I utterly condemn this unacceptable behaviour and have raised this incident with @metpoliceuk to take action,” Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, posted on Twitter, asking Metropolitan Police of London to act against the culprits. The London Police arrested two people in connection with the violence in front of India House on Tuesday.