Vikram Kumar Doraiswami, the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, was prevented from entering a gurdwara in Glasgow, Scotland, by a group of pro – Khalistan radicals on Friday, 29th September 2023. This comes amidst the ongoing diplomatic standoff between India and Canada over the killing of pro – Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Doraiswami was visiting Scotland and was invited by the gurdwara committee of the Glasgow Gurdwara on Albert Drive. It was reported that he had a meeting planned with the committee. A video was posted on Instagram by the handle of ‘ Sikh Youth UK’ in which a group of Khalistani activists can be seen forcing the Indian Official to eventually leave.
The Video Posted by the ‘Sikh Youth UK’ :
The Indian Envoy to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, who had been on a visit to Scotland, had a meeting scheduled with the gurdwara committee of the Glasgow Gurdwara on Albert Drive. Upon finding out that the Indian Official had a meeting scheduled with the gurdwara committee, the pro – Khalistan radicals decided to turn up at the scene and faze the diplomat enough to leave.
The video of the incident was posted by the Instagram handle of ‘Sikh Youth UK’. The purported video displays tables laid out and covered with white tablecloths, prepared to serve langar – which is a communal meal among Sikhs – to the Indian High Commissioner. In the video, one of the pro – Khalistan radicals can be seen having a confrontational disagreement with one of the members of the gurdwara committee . The committee member in the video attempts to grab the activist’s mobile, but fails to do so.
In another shot of the video, two Khalistan activists can be seen trying to intimidate and faze the Indian High Commissioner. The men can be seen striding down to the Indian Official’s car in the parking lot and ostensibly attempting to open the car door, but being unable to do so as the car door is locked from the inside. The car of the Indian officials can then be seen turning around and leaving the spot. The link of the aforementioned video is provided below :
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxx4U9DMz2b/
This incident comes amidst the ongoing diplomatic standoff between India and Canada over the killing of pro – Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government’s “potential” linking to the killing of the pro – Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India vehemently rejected the allegations by calling them “motivated” and “absurd”.
The Khalistan issue in the UK :
The issue of Khalistan has become a pinprick in the ties between India and the United Kingdom as well. Earlier this year, violent protests broke out outside the Indian High Commission and Consulates in the UK.
In one such extremely violent protest, a group of pro – Khalistan activists vandalised the Indian High Commission in London and scaled up the balcony of the premises to bring down India’s flag. Swiftly retaliating to the situation in London, security barricades and vehicles were pulled out from outside the residence of the UK High Commissioner to India and the British High Commission in New Delhi in response to the security deficit at the Indian High Commission in London.
According to the National Investigation Agency, Avtar Singh Khanda, a pro – Khalistan activist, staged the aggressive protest at the Indian High Commission in London that took place in March of this year. According to his medical records, he died due to blood cancer in June this year.
