India will not allow its national flag to be pulled down: Jaishankar warns Khalistanis

Bengaluru: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has given a strong message to separatist Khalistanis and the British government, following several acts of vandalisation of the Tricolour, that India will not accept its national flag being pulled down at its embassies.

Jaishankar made the remarks in his interaction with intellectuals in Dharwad on Sunday. A programme was organised by the BJP Mahanagar unit at Dharwad. “The days when India would have taken this lightly are behind us and this is not the India which will accept its national flag being pulled down by somebody,” Jaishankar said.

“It is a message not only to those so-called Khalistanis but also to the British, saying this is my flag and I will make it even bigger if somebody tries to disrespect it,” the External Affairs Minister said during the interaction.

Answering a question on separatist Khalistani movements in different parts of the world, and on the measures India will take, Jaishankar said, “We have seen in the last few days some such incidents in London, Canada, Australia, San Francisco. There is a very small minority, with different interests, some interests are of neighbours, some interests are of people who try to use it for visas and for personal interest.”

“They try to project this for their advantage and there are others who do not frankly wish India well,” he added.

Jaishankar also said, “The point here is that when we established embassies abroad when our diplomats are performing their task, we are very clear that it is the obligation of the country where these embassies are, where these diplomats are to provide security. After all, we provide security for so many foreign embassies.”

“If they do not provide security, if they do not take this seriously if there are such incidents, then we will give reactions from India,” he warned the Khalistanis.

Notably, an Indian flag outside Indian High Commission in London, UK was pulled down by a group of pro-Khalistan supporters and even the embassy was vandalised there.

Narrating the aftermath of the incident, Jaishankar said, “The first thing our High Commissioner did, he brought an even bigger flag and he put it right up there. A bigger flag was put up outside the embassy following the act.”

Jaishankar also said, “In that sense, the idea that there is today a different India, an India which is very responsible and very firm.