In yet another attack on Indian sovereignty the Khalistani radicals tried to set Indian Consulate In San Francisco on fire on July 02.The video of same has been released on social media wherein around 1:40 AM on Sunday a unidentified man can be seen igniting the fire however according to consulate officials the fire was suppressed quickly by the San Francisco Fire Department and no major damages or staffers were harmed. The video, with the words ‘violence begets violence’ emblazoned over it, also showed news articles related to the death of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, one of India’s most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Canada last month.
This is the second attack on a diplomatic building since March when it was vandalised by radicals to protest Punjab police’s massive crackdown against Amritpal Singh and his aides.
The U.S. strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the U.S. is a criminal offense.
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) July 3, 2023
The Local San Francisco police department, special diplomatic security personnel, and state and federal authorities were notified and immediately began investigating the incident. There have been several rounds of meetings with police and administration officials after the incident that prompted sharp and immediate action against those responsible for the incident.
Reacting to the attempted arson, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offense”.
#BREAKING: Khalistani radicals set afire at the Indian Consulate in #SanFrancisco, United States on July 2nd. Fire was immediately brought under control. Local law enforcement and FBI are investigating the matter. No arrests made yet. Khalistani radicals have released a video. pic.twitter.com/lQ3esZ1Let
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 3, 2023
Just like Canada, a poster has been released on social media says that a ‘Khalistan Freedom Rally’ will be organised on July 8 that will start in Berkeley, California and end at the Indian embassy in San Francisco. Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Dr TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General, Consulate General of India, San Francisco, have been targeted in a poster putting their security to risk.
On Monday, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said that India has requested partner countries like Canada, the UK, the US and Australia not to give space to the Khalistanis.
On the names of Indian diplomats in Khalistani posters in Canada, he said, “They should not give space to these Khalistanis. These radical extremist ideologies aren’t good for us, them, or our ties. Will raise the issue of these posters”.
This is not for the first time that the SF consulate has come under attack. Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, several protesters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the SF city police and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises in March. Two consulate personnel soon removed these flags. The US government condemned the violent incidents that took place during protests at Indian diplomatic facilities in the US, while also termed that violence, or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of protest and is of “grave concern.”
United States | A group of Khalistan radicals on July 2 set Indian Consulate on fire in San Francisco. The fire was suppressed quickly by the San Francisco Fire Department. No major damages or staffers were harmed. Local, state and federal authorities have been notified. The US… pic.twitter.com/uhx9NtML5G
— ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2023
The Khalistani separatist has taken a big-hit recently with the unnatural deaths of its key leaders and activists (list of people recently killed and arrest of Amritpal). While Nijjar was shot dead in suspected gangwar in June this year in Canada, another Khalistani radical Avtar Singh Khanda passed away at Birmingham hospital a week before Nijjar’s death. His radical supporters refused to accept it as a natural death. Another strong pillar of Khalistani radical activities in Asia Paramjit Sigh Panjwar was gunned down by unidentified assailants near his house in Pakistan in May this year.
(With ANI inputs)
