The Indian High Commissioner to the UK, V Doraiswami was forcibly stopped from participating in a community event at Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Sabha Glasgow gurudwara in Scotland on September 29 by some unknown individuals.
The gurudwara committee described the incident as “disorderly behaviour” by unknown individuals outside the Glasgow area.
While those individuals who disrupted the event and forced the High Commissioner to go back can be clearly heard in the video expressing their enmity toward India and criticizing the gurudwara committee for inviting ‘an official of the Indian government’, the gurudwara committee, in complete defiance act, has issued a statement condemning the act and their behavior.
It has also clarified that those culprits are not from the area and had come from outside the Glasgow area.
The statement from the gurudwara in part reads:
“An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises.”
#BREAKING: Khalistani radical goons forcibly stop Indian High Commissioner to UK @VDoraiswami from visiting Sikh Gurudwara in Glasgow, UK. Sikh Gurudwara Committee was welcoming Indian High Commissioner but radical Khalistani threatened them as well. UK @metpoliceuk should act. pic.twitter.com/Q0T7kZ48gl
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 30, 2023
The committee confirmed that the Scotland Police was contacted and has taken cognizance of the matter.
“Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith,” the statement added.
Scotland Police is looking into the incident.
The Indian High Commission also reported the incident to the relevant UK authorities. It has also issued a statement.
Press Release on the incident at Glasgow Gurudwara Saheb.@MEAIndia @PTI_News @ANI @VDoraiswami @sujitjoyghosh pic.twitter.com/MZhpV3eSLP
— India in the UK (@HCI_London) September 30, 2023
UK’s Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan has said she was “concerned” to learn that Indian envoy Doraiswami had been stopped from meeting the Gurudwara Committee in Glasgow.
Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow.
The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all.
— Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP (@annietrev) September 30, 2023
Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow.
The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all.
— Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP (@annietrev) September 30, 2023
Some observers believe the Indian High Commissioner V Doraiswami is just one of the many potential flow on disruptions we will see and attributed it to the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.