British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has condemned the Tuesday’s violent attack on the Indian High Commission building in London allegedly by pro-Kashmir protesters. Speaking parliament on Tuesday, Raab said termed the violence deplorable.
Answering a question from his fellow Conservative MP, Shailesh Vara, the foreign secretary, “It is absolutely right that any violence is deplorable. It shouldn’t be conducted in this country, or anywhere else for that matter, at any individual communities. What we now need to do is try and reduce those tensions but also, on a positive side, build up confidence-building measures to allow proper dialogue between the communities in Kashmir and also between India and Pakistan.”
Violence against British Indians or any other community in the UK is “deplorable” says Foreign Secretary.@foreignoffice @HCI_London pic.twitter.com/BJAZBPjhEL
— Shailesh Vara MP (@ShaileshVara) September 3, 2019
Earlier on Wednesday, the official Twitter handle of the Indian High Commission in London posted a photo of a damaged window as it wrote, “Another violent protest outside the Indian High Commission in London today, 3 September 2019. Damage caused to the premises.” It tagged official Twitter handles of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Raab, British High Commissioner in Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar among others.
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 pic.twitter.com/2sv0Qt1xy8
— India in the UK (@HCI_London) September 3, 2019
Reacting to the development, the MEA said, “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.” It added, “This is the second time in a less than a month that such an incident has taken place affecting security& normal functioning of our Mission. We consider these incidents to be unacceptable&have strongly urged Govt of UK to take action against those involved.”
Londo0n Mayor Sadiq Khan asked the city police to take action as he wrote on Twitter, “I utterly condemn this unacceptable behaviour and have raised this incident with @metpoliceuk to take action.”
Meanwhile, police have arrested two people in connection with yesterday’s violence.
London has seen a series of large protests by pro-Kashmir groups and Sikh supporters demanding the creation of Khalistan after the Indian government abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. On 15 August, the independence day celebrations were affected as a large group of protesters nearly invaded the High Commission’s office, raising a huge security fear for the building and staff working inside the premises.
