UK Condemns Security Breach During S Jaishankar’s London Visit

New Delhi/London: The UK Foreign Office has strongly condemned the security breach involving India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, during his visit to London. The incident occurred on Wednesday when a pro-Khalistani protester attempted to break through barricades and disrupt Jaishankar’s departure from Chatham House, a leading British think tank.

The Metropolitan Police acted swiftly to neutralize the disruption, removing the individual who tried to obstruct Jaishankar’s motorcade, according to official sources.

UK’s Response: ‘Any Attempt to Intimidate Is Unacceptable’

The UK government reiterated that any attempt to intimidate or threaten foreign dignitaries is unacceptable.

“We strongly condemn the incident and emphasize that any attempt to intimidate and threaten is completely unacceptable,” sources in the UK Foreign Office stated.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India also issued a firm response, criticizing the actions of separatist elements and urging the UK to fulfill its diplomatic obligations in ensuring the safety of visiting officials.

“We condemn the provocative activities of this small group of separatists and extremists. We deplore the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

“We expect the host government in such cases to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations.”

Security Breach: What Happened?

Videos circulating on social media showed a small group of Khalistani protesters waving yellow flags and shouting anti-India slogans as S Jaishankar exited Chatham House.

As the minister’s motorcade was preparing to leave, a tall man broke through the police cordon and attempted to block the vehicle. However, police officers intervened immediately, detaining the protester before he could escalate the situation further.

Repeat Offense: Rising Khalistani Protests in UK

This is not the first instance of a security lapse involving Khalistani activists in the UK.

• In March 2023, pro-Khalistani elements stormed the Indian High Commission in London, pulling down the Indian national flag, prompting a strong diplomatic protest from India.
• Following the 2023 incident, India summoned the senior-most British diplomat in New Delhi to demand an explanation over the lapse in security.

India’s Call for Action Against Khalistani Groups

India has been consistently urging the UK government to take strict action against pro-Khalistani groups operating from British soil. The latest incident has once again brought the issue into focus, with India demanding that adequate security measures be in place to prevent further disruptions.

While the UK has assured India of prompt action, the repeated nature of such incidents raises concerns over security arrangements for Indian officials abroad.

Diplomatic Implications

The latest security breach is likely to be raised at the diplomatic level, with India pressuring the UK to crack down on Khalistani extremism. With increasing tensions over anti-India demonstrations in various Western countries, diplomatic engagements on the issue are expected to intensify in the coming months.