Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged the activities of Khalistani extremists in Britain during his talks with visiting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Mumbai, and said there was need to move against them within the legal frameworks available to both sides.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefing the media on the bilateral talks between PM Modi and PM Starmer, said that India had raised the Khalistani issue during the visit of PM Modi to London in July this year and during today’s talks too.
“The activities of Khalistani extremists had come up in July and was flagged again in the discussions today. And the Prime Minister emphasised that radicalism and violent extremism have no place in democratic societies, and in particular should not be allowed to use or abuse the freedoms being provided by democratic societies; and there was need to move against them within the legal frameworks available to both sides,” the FS said.
India has repeatedly flagged the issue of growing anti-India activities by Khalistani elements in the UK.
In March this year, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar faced a security breach in London when a Khalistani protester rushed toward his car and tore the Indian flag, as he was leaving an event in Chatham House. India had protested against the incident, and urged the UK government to fulfill its “diplomatic obligations”.
Earlier in January this year, Khalistani extremists had disrupted the screening of the film ‘Emergency’ in cinema halls in the UK. Conservative British MP Bob Blackman had raised the issue of Khalistani extremists disrupting the screening of Kangana Ranaut’s film ‘Emergency’, in the British parliament. He has repeatedly called for greater government action in curbing the activities of the Khalistani separatists.
