Protest to United Kingdom over anti-India violence

New Delhi: India has “conveyed its concerns” to Britain on the compromising of the security of the Indian high commission in London by violent Pakistani demonstrators outside India House on Independence Day, sources said Monday. Sources said New Delhi has also noted that Britain seems to have been backing China in pushing for the issue of a statement after the closed-door UN Security Council meet to discuss the Kashmir issue on Friday. However, this issue has not been raised with the British.

On India’s Independence Day on August 15, Indians celebrating the event outside the high commission were attacked by violent Pakistanis who, according to global news reports, pelted eggs and water bottles at them. Stones were also allegedly hurled at the Indian high commission.

“India’s concerns have been conveyed to Britain,” a source said, adding that the Indian high commission’s security was compromised by the violence unleashed by the Pakistani demonstrators. But apparently no formal protest has been lodged yet.

Britain is a member of the P-5, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It may be recalled that on Friday, the UNSC held closed-door deliberations in New York on the latest developments in Kashmir after China called for the meeting at the behest of Pakistan. India had recently bifurcated J&K state and revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, that gave a special status to J&K within India. New Delhi has told foreign nations that this was an “internal matter” of India that fell within its “sovereign jurisdiction”.

Britain apparently was in favour of adopting a formal resolution after the meeting, which China had mooted, sources said, but others did not think it was necessary. Eyebrows were raised since this indicates Britain did not fully support India on the matter.