London, September 30 (Press Ki Taquat)
Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Vikram Doraiswami was on Friday prevented from entering a gurdwara in Glasgow, Scotland.
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.
“They are hurting Sikhs in Canada and other places. Every Sikh should protest against any Indian Ambassador like we did here in Glasgow,” the man is heard saying in the video.
The ‘Sikh Youth UK’ claims that there is an ongoing ban on Indian officials visiting the gurdwara in their official capacities.
The video shows two men near the High Commissioner’s car in the parking area. One of them is seen trying to open the car door, which has been locked from inside. The purported video then shows the high commissioner’s car leaving the gurdwara premises.
The video shows another man speaking to the camera that this is how any Indian ambassador or any Indian government official who visits the gurdwara will be treated.
“We know what games they are playing; what’s happening in Canada. The Canadian PM has openly condemned India and expelled Indian diplomats,” he said.
The incident was first reported by the Times of India (TOI).
A pro-Khalistan activist told TOI that the Indian High Commissioner was supposed to hold a meeting with the gurdwara committee of the Glasgow gurdwara on Albert Drive.
The activist said: “A few people turned up and told him he is not welcome and he left. There was a slight confrontation. I don’t think the gurdwara committee is too happy about what happened. But Indian officials are not welcome in any gurdwara in the UK.”
“We are fed up with the UK-India collusion. The recent tensions since the Hardeep Nijjar killing have led to British Sikhs being targeted. This is to do with Avtar Singh Khanda and Jagtar Singh Johal too,” he said.
Meanwhile, a formal reaction from the Indian High Commission in London and the Ministry of External Affairs on the incident is awaited.
