Sikh activists clash with BJP supporters outside Bangladesh Embassy in London
- Hindu groups’ protest met with pro-Khalistan activists.
- Police addresses scuffle, intervenes and restores order.
- India persecuting Sikhs, Muslims, Christians: Sikh leader.
LONDON: Tensions flared outside the Bangladesh Embassy as a confrontation broke out between Pro-Khalistan Sikh activists from Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and a group of British Indian Hindu groups aligned with India’s ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) during a demonstration related to the alleged killings of Hindus in Bangladesh.
The protest, which sought to stand in solidarity with minorities, was met with anti-India slogans from the Khalistani group, which also raised Khalistani flags.
Veteran Khalistani activist Paramjeet Singh Pamma, a coordinator of the Khalistan Referendum campaign, confronted the Hindu protest group gathered outside the embassy premises.
A scuffle occurred between Pamma and the BJP’s Hindutva supporters, prompting swift intervention by Metropolitan Police officers stationed at the scene who separated the two groups and restored order.
Pro-Khalistan Sikh activists formed a protective presence around the embassy building. Demonstrators raised slogans accusing the Indian government of responsibility for deaths linked to Sikh activists, including chants of, “who Killed Hadi — Modi”, and “who killed [Hardeep Singh] Nijjar — Modi, Modi, India”.
Pamma is designated by India as a “most wanted terrorist,” a label applied by Indian security agencies to several Khalistan-linked figures. However, the legal status of Pamma in the UK differs from India’s position.
Expressing his views on Indian allegations, the Sikh leader said, “I reside openly in the United Kingdom; no UK court has convicted me of terrorism-related offences; no extradition request by India has resulted in my removal, and UK authorities have not legally upheld India’s allegations against me.
“We gathered here today to expose India’s dirty face. India is involved in persecuting Sikhs, Muslims and Christians at home; it cannot blame Bangladesh for human rights violations. We are focused on the next phase of the Khalistan Referendum, which will reveal the full scale of atrocities committed by India against the Sikhs,” remarked Pamma.
The clash comes as ties between New Delhi and Dhaka have been strained since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who currently resides in India. The bilateral relations further took a dive following the killing of Bangladesh student leader Sharif Osman Hadi and the lynching of a Hindu worker in Bangladeshi capital.
