India urges UK to take action against extremist elements

New Delhi says it raised the issue of extremist elements threatening officers of the Indian High Commission in Britain

• Chandrashekar Bhat
• 08 July, 2023

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By: Chandrashekar Bhat

INDIA on Friday (7) called for strong public action against extremist elements threatening officers of the Indian High Commission in the UK, official sources said.

India’s national security advisor Ajit Doval raised the issue during his talks with his British counterpart Sir Tim Barrow, who is on a visit to India.

They held one-on-one talks, followed by delegation-level strategic dialogue.

Pro-Khalistan groups have issued posters inciting violence against senior Indian diplomats in the UK as well as in the US, Canada and Australia, triggering concerns in New Delhi.

India has already asked all these countries to ensure safety and security of Indian diplomats and its missions.

In the talks, which covered a broad bilateral, regional and global agenda, the two sides also agreed to work closely to counter terrorism and deepen mutually beneficial collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.

“The Indian side raised the issue of the extremist elements in the UK threatening individual officers of the Indian High Commission and urged the UK government to take strong public action against these elements such as deportation or legal prosecution,” said a source.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation to address violent extremism and radicalism as there can be no justification for them in a democracy, the sources said.

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said on Thursday (6) that the safety of the Indian diplomats and security of the Indian missions is of utmost priority to the government and New Delhi has taken it up with concerned countries.

In the name of freedom of expression, space should not be given to those advocating violence or legitimising terrorism, Bagchi said in a message to the countries that are witnessing increasing activities by the Khalistani groups.

UK foreign secretary James Cleverly on Thursday said that any direct attacks on the High Commission of India in London are “completely unacceptable”.

On Doval-Barrow talks, the sources said both sides agreed to deepen counter terrorism and terror financing.

The two NSAs also resolved to expand mutually beneficial bilateral collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.

(PTI)