India on Thursday condemned the trespassing of the Indian embassy in Croatia and the vandalisation of the nationwide flag by Khalistani activists and mentioned the perpetrators needs to be held accountable.
This was the most recent in a sequence of actions by Khalistani activists focusing on Indian missions overseas, although most such incidents have been reported from Canada, the UK and the US. Croatia is a member of the European Union and the embassy in Zagreb was focused days forward of the India-EU Summit in New Delhi on January 27.
A video posted on-line by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun confirmed a Khalistani activist taking down the Indian flag on the embassy in Zagreb and changing it with the yellow Khalistan flag. The incident apparently occurred on January 22.
“We condemn the incident of trespassing and vandalism at our embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, by anti-India components,” the exterior affairs ministry mentioned in a press release that didn’t discuss with Khalistani activists or Pannun.
“Such actions additionally converse of the character and motives of these behind them, and legislation enforcement authorities in all places would do effectively to pay attention to them,” the assertion mentioned.
The ministry famous that beneath the Vienna Conference, diplomatic premises are “inviolable and should be protected”. The Indian facet has “taken up the matter strongly with Croatian authorities, each in New Delhi and in Zagreb and requested them to carry the perpetrators accountable for his or her reprehensible and unlawful actions”.
Pannun mentioned within the video that the Khalistani activists had acted forward of the Republic Day on January 26. Talking in opposition to a backdrop that featured the photographs of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pannun claimed that New Delhi could be the “goal” on Republic Day.
European Council president Antonio Costa and European Fee president Ursula von der Leyen would be the chief visitors on the Republic Day celebrations.
The Khalistani activists additionally painted slogans on the partitions of the embassy similar to “Khalistan Zindabad”. Pannun, who spoke in Punjab, mentioned the times of Indian embassies flying the Nationwide tricolour are “numbered”. He added: “As soon as Punjab turns into unbiased, the Indian flag can be changed with the Khalistan flag.”
India has formally complained concerning the actions of SFJ and Pannun, a delegated terrorist, to authorities in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US. These actions embody violent protests, vandalisation and focusing on of diplomatic missions, and the threatening and intimidation of Indian diplomats.
