- The Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, was allegedly prevented by radical Sikh activists from entering a gurudwara in Scotland’s Glasgow.
- “They are hurting Sikhs in Canada and other places, every Sikh should protest against any Indian Ambassador like we did here in Glasgow,” the protestor is reportedly heard saying in the video.
- The incident comes amid a diplomatic row between India and Canada following Justin Trudeau’s claim alleging India’s possible involvement in the killing of Najjar.
- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly to the incident.
- Meanwhile, the issue has been raised with the UK foreign office and also the police.
- According to a media report, Doraiswami had a meeting planned with the Gurdwara committee of the Glasgow Gurdwara.
- SGPC General Secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal has responded to the incident.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly after the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, was allegedly prevented by radical Sikh activists from entering a gurudwara in Scotland’s Glasgow. 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 gurdwara on Albert Drive.
Reacting to the incident BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “I strongly condemn that Vikram Doraiswami was allegedly stopped from entering a gurdwara in Scotland. Anyone from any religion or community can come to the Gurdwara. We are not that religion that believes in violence instead we are among those who are saviors of humanity. Sikhs are the saviors. PM Modi has praised the work of our community. Sikhs are represented everywhere in the world. The safest place for the Sikhs in the world is in India.”
“They are hurting Sikhs in Canada and other places, every Sikh should protest against any Indian Ambassador like we did here in Glasgow,” the protestor is reportedly heard saying in the video.
Meanwhile, the news agency, citing sources, said the issue has been raised with the UK foreign office and also the police.
According to a media report, Doraiswami had a meeting planned with the Gurdwara committee of the Glasgow Gurdwara.
The incident comes amid a diplomatic tension between India and Canada following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim alleging India’s possible involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India strongly rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case.
Earlier this year, a violent protest broke out outside the Indian high commission in London during which a pro-Khalistan activist clambered onto a balcony and pulled down the national flag from a pole at the front of the building. In a retaliatory move, security barricades and vehicles were removed from outside the British high commission and high commissioner residence in New Delhi in response to the lack of security at the Indian high commission in London.
SGPC General Secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal has responded to the incident where Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami was stopped from entering the Glasgow Gurdwara. While speaking to a news agency, Grewal said that the people of England, are upset with the illegal arrest of Jaggi Johal. “We want to ask the Indian Embassy that any kind of tension should not be created… If something like this has happened with an ambassador in a Gurdwara, it affects the reputation of Sikhs…” he remarked.
“Earlier, an ambassador was beaten, we don’t support it… The reputation of Sikhs is affected all over the world…There is no restriction on entering any Gurdwara. But I don’t know what their reasons were. To avoid any tensions created because of his (Vikram Doraiswami) visit, they must have stopped him…” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
