Asia

India Takes Strong Exception to UK Allowing Khalistan Activists' Rally in London

Supporters demanding a separate country - Khalistan, for the Sikh community in northwestern India plan to gather in London on August 12 as part of their global movement. In April, Khalistani activists desecrated the Indian flag in London while PM Modi was addressing a diaspora event in Westminster.
Sputnik

New Delhi (Sputnik): The Indian government has said it expects the UK to give serious thought before allowing anti-India public activities in the larger perspective of bilateral relations. India's foreign ministry said on Thursday that New Delhi raised and expressed concerns very clearly several times to the UK administration regarding a pro-Khalistan rally set for August 12 in London.

Organized by the US-based "Sikhs for Justice," the agenda of the rally is to shape a "London Declaration on Referendum 2020" campaign, seeking a separate country for the Sikh community, called Khalistan in the northwestern part of India.

​"We have drawn attention to the fact that the event in London is a separatist activity which impinges on India's territorial integrity. We have said that it seeks to propagate violence, secessionism, and hatred. We expect them to take into account a larger perspective of the relationship when they take a decision on such matters," Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

The India government has also taken up this issue with other countries where similar kinds of events have been planned by supporters of Khalistan.

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In July, Indian envoy to the UK, Yash Sinha held meetings at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to lodge a protest against the UK's permission for the Khalistan movement to conduct a rally in London.  

However, the UK has maintained that it cannot deter people from gathering peacefully.

"In the UK people have the right to gather together and to demonstrate their views, provided that they do so within the law," a spokesperson from the British High Commission in India said on August 7.

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