From Gandhi’s Chatham House speech to Jaishankar’s attack, Britain’s history of enabling separatism and terrorism against India must be called out. It’s time for accountability.
The recent attack on India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, outside Chatham House in London is not an isolated incident. It is a stark reminder of Britain’s long-standing complicity in nurturing and harboring Khalistani extremism, a movement rooted in bigotry, terrorism, and mass murder. The irony is hard to miss: Chatham House, where Jaishankar was speaking, is the same institution where Mahatma Gandhi, in October 1931, advocated for dialogue and non-violence as the means to resolve political and social conflicts. Gandhi’s vision of unity and peaceful coexistence stands in direct contrast to the Khalistani movement’s ideology of division, violence, and hatred. Yet, decades after Gandhi’s speech, Britain continues to provide a haven for those who seek to undermine India’s sovereignty and destabilize its social fabric.
The Khalistan movement, which emerged in the 1960s, gained momentum in the 1970s when Jagjit Singh Chohan, a dentist-turned-politician and an early advocate for a Sikh sovereign state, moved to the UK. In 1971, Chohan traveled to Pakistan on his British passport, where he was warmly received by then-Prime Minister Yahya Khan, who promised support for the creation of Khalistan. This was the same year India was fighting to liberate Bangladesh from Pakistan’s oppressive regime. Chohan’s subsequent activities in the US, including a full-page advertisement in The New York Times declaring Khalistan an independent state, highlighted the global network of support for the movement.
Fast forward to today, and Britain remains a hub for Khalistani extremism. The attack on Jaishankar is not an aberration but part of a pattern of hostility and provocation. It is a symptom of a deeper malaise: Britain’s failure to address the threat posed by Khalistani elements operating freely on its soil. The breach of security for a visiting foreign minister is not just a diplomatic faux pas; it is a violation of the Geneva Convention, as rightly pointed out by Conservative MP Bob Blackman. It raises serious questions about Britain’s commitment to international law and its role as a responsible global actor.
The UK’s inaction is even more glaring when one considers the scale of the Khalistani threat. In 2021, the UK census recorded 525,865 Sikhs, making it home to the second-largest Sikh diaspora in the world after Canada. While the vast majority of Sikhs in the UK are law-abiding citizens who contribute positively to British society, a small but vocal minority has aligned itself with the Khalistani cause. This minority wields disproportionate political influence, particularly within the Labour Party, which has often been accused of pandering to Khalistani sentiments for electoral gains.
For instance, British MP Preet Kaur Gill, a Labour Party member, has openly supported the right of “self-determination” for Sikhs in India and campaigned for the release of Jagtar Singh Johal, a UK national jailed in India for his alleged involvement in multiple murders, including that of RSS leader Ravinder Gosain and Pastor Sultan Masih. Gill’s participation in events organized by Khalistani groups underscores the extent to which the movement has infiltrated British politics.
The threat is not limited to political posturing. Indian diplomatic staff in the UK have repeatedly faced harassment and intimidation. In September 2023, pro-Khalistan protesters barred Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami from entering a gurdwara in Scotland. Earlier this year, Khalistani protesters camped outside the Indian High Commission in London, and in 2023, a mob breached the building’s perimeter, vandalized the premises, and brought down the Indian tricolor. These incidents are not just attacks on India’s sovereignty; they are assaults on the very principles of diplomacy and international law.
Despite India’s repeated concerns, the UK has done little to address the issue. In 2015, India shared a detailed dossier with the UK government, outlining how Sikh youth were being radicalized in British gurdwaras. The dossier revealed that these institutions were not only imparting ideological indoctrination but also providing training in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Yet, the UK’s response has been tepid at best.
This inaction is inexcusable. The UK cannot claim to be a champion of global peace and security while allowing its soil to be used as a breeding ground for terrorism against a friendly nation. The attack on Jaishankar should serve as a wake-up call for both India and the UK. India must raise the cost for Britain’s continued harboring of Khalistani extremism. This could include slowing down economic and trade cooperation, stepping up intelligence operations within the UK, and exposing the fault lines within Khalistani groups.
India must also crack down on the financing of Khalistani activities and sanction individuals and organizations that provide support to these terrorists. The UK, for its part, must take concrete steps to address India’s concerns. This includes banning Khalistani groups, prosecuting individuals involved in violent activities, and ensuring the safety of Indian diplomatic staff.
The UK’s double standards are particularly galling when one considers how it would react if the roles were reversed. How would Britain respond if India were to host a separatist movement against the UK on its soil? What would be the reaction if British Prime Minister Keir Starmer or one of his ministers were attacked or heckled in India? The hypocrisy is glaring, and it is time for Britain to confront it.
The UK’s history as a colonial power is already stained by its role in the bloody Partition of India. Its continued support for Khalistani extremism adds another dark chapter to this legacy. The sun may have set on the British Empire, but its shadows continue to loom large.
It is time for Britain to reckon with its past and present actions. The attack on Jaishankar is not just an attack on India; it is an attack on the principles of peace, dialogue, and coexistence that Gandhi championed at Chatham House nearly a century ago. Britain must choose: will it continue to be a haven for terrorists, or will it finally live up to the ideals it claims to uphold? The world is watching.
