Jun 07, 2021

Two Indian flags were set on fire and stamped on during a remembrance march and "freedom rally" by some British Sikhs in London, United Kingdom, held to mark the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, The Times of India reported.

The news report quoted the Indian High Commission in London as saying that it was "extremely concerned and distressed" by what happened and vowed it would take action against those who desecrated the national flag.

The incident reportedly took place at Trafalgar Square and some bystanders shouted "Khalistan Zindabad".

The newspaper quoted a Metropolitan Police spokesperson as saying that he wasn't “specifically aware of any flag being burnt” and that nobody had been arrested in relation to the incident. The police officer also said that setting flags alight was, in any case, not a criminal offence in Britain.

Protestors told the newspaper that they were not only marking Operation Blue Star, but also the detention of Scottish Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal in India and the extradition request for three other British Sikh men in connection with conspiracy-to-murder charges.ee other British Sikh men in connection with conspiracy-to-murder charges.

Operation Blue Star was the code name of a military action taken by India between June 1 and 10, 1984. The military operation was aimed at capturing the Sikh Damdami Taksal leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from the buildings of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab.

Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/tricolour-set-on-fire-stamped-on-at-khalistan-rally-in-london-6995461.html