World

    India protests US vandalism at San Francisco, Indian Consulate

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    Nidhi Khurana
    March20/ 2023
    Last Updated:

    New Delhi: On Monday, India strongly protested the devastation of the Indian consulate general in San Francisco by some pro-Khalistan activists during a protest to the US Charge d'Affaires in Delhi.

    According to the MEA, the US government was requested to take "necessary action" to prevent future situations of this nature. According to the MEA, "India communicated its strong outrage over the vandalism of the property of the Consulate General of India, San Francisco" during a meeting with the US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi.

    "A reminder was issued to the US government of its fundamental responsibility to safeguard diplomatic missions and personnel. It was requested that it implement safeguards to stop future occurrences "said it.

    "Our Embassy in Washington, D.C. likewise voiced our concerns to the US State Department along similar lines," the MEA stated in a brief statement.

    On Sunday, a mob of pro-Khalistan protestors stormed the Indian Embassy in San Francisco, causing extensive damage. Pro-Khalistan protestors, chanting, smashed through the city police's temporary security barriers and hung two fake Khalistani flags inside the Consulate. Two consular officials quickly took down the flags.

    After then, a mob of protesters stormed the consulate, where they began pelting the doors and windows with metal poles.

    After videos of the Indian flag being pulled down from the premises during a protest by pro-Khalistan elements surfaced on social media, India last night summoned the British deputy high commissioner and demanded an explanation over the complete "absence of security" around the Indian mission in London.

    The Ministry of External Affairs issued a strongly worded statement in which it said India finds "unacceptable" the indifference of the UK government to the security of Indian diplomatic installations and staff in the UK.

    Protesters on Sunday in London waved separatist flags and chanted pro-Khalistan chants, while several of them grabbed at the Indian tricolour flying above the Indian High Commission.

    One person was apprehended by police after the incident for their involvement in the disturbance.—Inputs from Agencies