Khalistanis set afire two Bharatiya tricolors and stamped on the Bharatiya national flag while raising chants of “Khalistan Zindabad” (Long live Khalistan) at London’s Trafalgar Square on 6 June. The Bharatiya High Commission has taken cognizance of the incident and assured to take action against those responsible for insulting Bharat’s national flag.
ToI’s UK correspondent Naomi Canton shared videos of the incident in which one of the Khalistanis was seen setting the flag ablaze using a flammable spray. The man who had covered his face using a black scarf was cheered by the bystanders who were heard raising slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Na Hindi, Na Hindu, Na Hindustan, Banke Rahega Khalistan” (Neither Hindi nor Hindu nor Hindustan, We will create Khalistan).
This is the moment a man sets fire to the Tricolour during a rally in Trafalgar Square to mark the anniversary of Operation Blue Star in June 1984 pic.twitter.com/j20U2jceO8
— Naomi Canton (@naomi2009) June 6, 2021
The same man is then seen burning a second tricolor after which two police officers arrived at the scene. The masked man then pours water over the gutted tricolors, remnants of which were picked by the police officials.
This is what happens next. After burning one Indian flag, he burns a second. This happened today in Trafalgar Square during an Operation Blue Star Remembrance Rally. Full story in TOI. pic.twitter.com/RSBObEtM8G
— Naomi Canton (@naomi2009) June 6, 2021
A Times of India (ToI) report quotes the Bharatiya High Commission as saying:
“We have taken note of the people who were there trying to desecrate the flag, and we will take action. We were also surprised to see that the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) were present. The numbers who turned up were far less than in previous years, which demonstrates that they are failing to muster enough support for Khalistan, besides the continual failure of the whole movement.”
An OpIndia article on the incident says:
A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said in a statement that setting flags on fire is not a criminal offense in Britain. He further added that he was not aware of the flag-burning incident, and no one was arrested from the group of Sikhs raising slogans against India.
As per reports, Five Khalsa Sikhs dressed in traditional attire of “Paanch Pyare” had led the march of hundreds of Khalistani sympathizers from Wellington Arch to Trafalgar Square. Some people were selling Khalistan T-Shirts etc. Banners donning Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were seen at the event. A Sikh woman, who was selling the T-shirts, told TOI, “It is important the next generation knows about this.”
There were several Khalistanis marching with the yellow Khalistan flags. Some of them were wearing “Punjab Referendum 2020” T-shirts. The so-called Referendum 2020 is an initiative run by banned terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice. It the same organization that had announced a cash prize for raising Khalistani Flag on Red Fort on Republic Day this year.
It has also come to light that the Khalistani protestors were sloganeering in favor of Scottish Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal who is in a Bharatiya jail for his alleged role in killing Punjab’s Hindu leaders.
(Featured Image Source: OpIndia)
Did you find this article useful? We’re a non-profit. Make a donation and help pay for our journalism.
HinduPost is now on Telegram. For the best reports & opinions on issues concerning Hindu society, subscribe to HinduPost on Telegram.
