The High Commission further said that it has reported “this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police.”…reports Asian Lite News
India’s High Commission to the United Kingdom on Saturday said it has reported to authorities in the UK the “disgraceful incident” at the Glasgow Gurudwara where elements from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” a planned interaction organised for the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami.
“On September 29, 2023, three persons- all from areas outside Scotland-deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India. This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues”, the High Commission of India, London said in a statement today.
The High Commission further said that it has reported “this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police.”
Multiple community organisations including the organisers, comprising senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members and a member of the Scottish Parliament, have formally regretted the incident and have urged the authorities to take action against the culprits, the statement read.
“They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival,” it said.
The Indian Mission also stated that one of the non-local extremist elements attempted to violently force open the High Commissioner’s car door – “a matter that will require suitable police consideration.”
The Indian mission in London also said that due to the quick reaction of one of the organisers, who physically intervened at the car door, “a bigger incident was avoided.”
The statement was released after purported social media videos showed Doraiswami being accosted near the parking area of the gurdwara located on Albert Drive in Glasgow reportedly by pro-Khalistani elements who blocking the Indian envoy from entering the gurudwara.
Government sources earlier today said that India had raised the issue with the United Kingdom foreign office and the police.
“Doraiswami was on Friday stopped by a few radicals from entering a gurdwara in Glasgow. The Indian High Commissioner decided to leave instead of getting into an argument,” the sources had said.
The latest incident comes amid a diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar this June outside a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
‘Concerned to see Indian envoy was stopped’
United Kingdom Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan on Saturday said that she was “concerned” to see that the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami was stopped from meeting the Gurudwara Committee in Glasgow.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Trevelyan said that the security and safety of foreign places is of utmost importance and places of worship in the United Kingdom should be open to all.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan said, “Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all.”
Earlier today, India’s High Commission in London said it has reported to authorities in the UK the “disgraceful incident” at the Glasgow Gurudwara where elements from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” a planned interaction organised for the High Commissioner and Consul General of India.
In order to prevent any potential altercation, India’s High Commissioner and Consul General decided to leave the premises shortly after his arrival, according to the statement released by India’s High Commission in London.
“On September 29, 2023, three persons– all from areas outside Scotland–deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organized by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India. This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues,” India’s High Commission in London statement read.
It further said, “The organizers included senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members, and a member of Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival.”
The High Commission of India said it has reported the incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police. Multiple community organizations including the organizers have formally regretted the incident and have urged the authorities to take action against the culprits, according to the statement.
“One of the non-local extremist elements attempted to violently force open the HC’s car door – a matter that will require suitable police consideration. It is due to the quick reaction of one of the organizers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided,” India’s High Commission in London said in a statement.
According to a purported video posted on the Instagram channel of ‘Sikh Youth UK’, a man reportedly a pro-Khalistani activist was seen blocking Doraiswami from entering the Glasgow Gurudwara located on Albert Drive.
The latest incident comes amid a diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Gurudwara in British Columbia’s Surrey on June 18 this year. (ANI)