Keralite community in UK condems defaming Indian flag at Indian High Commission London

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON March 20: The Keralite community organisations have come out pledging support to the Indian High Commission in London in the aftermath of miscreants pulling down the Indian national flag hoisted at the mission and also attempts to barge inside the offices.

Union of UK Malayalee Associations (UUKMA) and Malayalee Association of UK (MAUK) strongly codemned the behaviour by those who were behind the insult to the Indian nation by pulling down the flag.

Basingstoke borough councillor Sajish Tom said: “To use the National Flag of a country to show the protest against the country is never a good practice and is unacceptable. National flag represents the Country and its integrity, and so affronting the National Flag becomes humiliating the country. Any of such attempts must be denounced and precautions must be taken to make sure it’s never been repeated”.

The Indian High Commission will be hosting the Indian community at the India House Aldwych London WC2B 4NA on March 21, 2023 from 11am to show solidarity with the mission. Community is invited to the event.

Images of shattered windows and men climbing the India House building were circulating on social media and videos from the scene showed an Indian official grabbing the flag from a protester through the first-floor window of the mission, while the protester was seen waving a Khalistani flag hanging off its ledge.

The videos showed a group of pro-Khalistan activists protesting and shouting anti-India slogans outside the Indian mission in London. Several protestors carried the yellow and black Khalistan flag and some had posters calling for radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh to be “freed”.

Defaming Indian flag is humiliating the nation, said Union of UK Malayalee Assocition (UUKMA) president Dr Biju Peringathara. UUKMA has urged its affiliated organisations to demonstrate their protest in peaceful ways.

In a strongly worded statement the UUKMA national committee said: “Insulting the Indian national flag is a challenge to Indian pride”.

The UUKMA National Committee demanded that this incident which hurt the self-respect of every Indian should be condemned and the culprits should be severely punished.

UUKMA expressed shock and sorrow at the fact that the national flag of India, the world’s largest democracy, was insulted in front of the Indian High Commission in London.

“We request all member associations to express their protest in this incident under the leadership of the Regional Committees of UUKMA through just and peaceful means.

Meanwhile, Malayalee Association of UK (MAUK) secretary Sreejith Sreedharan said: “The Indian embassy in London has always been targeted by supporters of various separatist factions. Yet the lack of security provided by the British authorities is totally unacceptable and very much regrettable.

“This is not the first time that a lapse in security around the embassy has caused concerns. While we support the right to protest peacefully we totally condemn acts of rowdyism and criminal behaviour intended to bring disrepute to India and Indians.

“We hope that the British authorities will take the security of foreign embassies including the Indian Embassy seriously and prevent such incidents from happening again.

“We are aware that the High Commissioner has called for an urgent public meeting today at 15:00 and would like to extend MAUK’s full support to H.E. Mr Vikram K. Doraiswami and his team”.

A huge Tricolour now adorns the Indian High Commission building in London, shortly after Khalistani supporters pulled down the national flag outside the building to protest the crackdown against Amritpal Singh.

A photograph of the massive national flag stretched across India House in London’s Aldwych has gone viral, with social media users applauding the move.

The Loka Kerala Sabha UK Chapter has also expressed their shock and apprehension in the incident. LKS representative pledged its unflinching support to the Indian High Commission and India. It deplored the shameful act of bringing down a nation’s flag and asked the authorities to take action against the perpetrator.

Cllr Tom Aditya, who is the Council Spokesperson and Ex Mayor of Bristol-Bradley Stoke and the Chairman of the Bristol Multi-Faith Forum, described the foiled attempt to discredit the Indian flag at the India House as a serious case of violent disorder and malicious vandalism. He added that incident has been completely disgraceful and totally unacceptable. The Indian National Flag is the sacred symbol of India and it has to be treated with respect and reverence.

Cllr Tom Aditya, who is also a Member of the West of England (Avon and Somerset) Police Scrutiny Panel and the Police Strategic Advisory Panel welcomed the UK police investigation, however demanded that those involved in the matter should be identified and given firm punishment.

He condemned the passive approach taken initially by the Metropolitan Police, which is under the oversight of London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Cllr Tom called for prompt and speedy action against those involved in it, and requested extra care towards the security and safety of the Indian diplomatic staff and their premises in the UK.

He praised the Indian High Commission’s security staff for averting further mishaps on that day. Cllr Tom expressed his sincere wish to keep the tricolour to fly in its grandeur at all times.