Khalistani thugs: UK MP raises alarm over S Jaishankar's London security breach

The United Kingdom faced mounting diplomatic scrutiny after a security breach involving External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in London. Britain's Opposition Conservative Party lawmaker Bob Blackman raised the issue in the House of Commons, denouncing what he termed an 'attack' by "Khalistani thugs".

The incident occurred outside Chatham House in central London on March 6 (Wednesday) evening when a protester attempted to breach security as Jaishankar exited the venue following a public event.

Blackman took a strong stance during a Business of the House session, calling the episode an "affront to democracy". He demanded that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper address Parliament on ensuring the safety of visiting dignitaries.

"Yesterday, the External Affairs Minister from India, Shri Jaishankar, was attacked when he was leaving a public venue where he had been addressing an audience of Indian people in this country," news agency PTI quoted Blackman as saying. "He was attacked by Khalistani thugs. That is against the Geneva Convention, and it appears that the police and security forces failed to ensure his safety. We need to make sure this does not happen again".

In response, Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons from the Labour government, expressed deep concern over the incident. "I am very sorry to hear about what sounded like a serious attack on a visitor to this country from the Indian Parliament. That is unacceptable and not the way in which we want our visitors to be treated," she said, assuring Blackman of a full response from the Home Secretary.

Even the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has condemned the act, asserting that "any attempts to intimidate, threaten, or disrupt public events are completely unacceptable".

Meanwhile, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) escalated the matter, summoning UK Charge D' Affaires Christina Scott to register its serious concerns. The MEA also urged the British government to "live up to their diplomatic obligations".

London's Metropolitan Police provided details of the incident, clarifying that a protester ran in front of Jaishankar's stationary car, waving a flag, but was "quickly intercepted by officers and moved out of the way". A police spokesperson confirmed that the minister was able to leave the area without further incident and that no arrests were made.

Jaishankar, currently on a tour of the UK and Ireland, is set to continue his diplomatic engagements, with bilateral talks scheduled with his Irish counterpart, Simon Harris, in Dublin later today.