Tensions flared outside the Bangladesh Embassy in London as pro-Khalistan Sikh activists affiliated with Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) clashed with British Indian Hindu groups aligned with India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a demonstration on Sunday.
The protest was organised to express solidarity with minorities in Bangladesh following reports of violence, including the killing of a student leader and attacks on members of the Hindu community.
The demonstration quickly became heated after Khalistani activists raised flags and chanted anti-India slogans outside the embassy premises. Members of Hindu groups present at the site objected to the slogans, leading to verbal confrontations that soon escalated.
Veteran Khalistani activist Paramjeet Singh Pamma, a coordinator of the Khalistan Referendum campaign, confronted members of the Hindu protest group.
A brief scuffle broke out between Pamma and BJP-aligned supporters, prompting swift intervention by officers of the Metropolitan Police, who separated the opposing sides and restored order. Police maintained a visible presence throughout the protest to prevent further escalation.
Pro-Khalistan activists later formed a protective cordon near the embassy building and continued chanting slogans accusing the Indian government of involvement in the deaths of Sikh activists abroad. Among the slogans raised were references to the killings of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and other figures linked to the Khalistan movement.
Pamma, who is designated by Indian authorities as a “most wanted terrorist,” rejected India’s allegations against him, stating that he lives openly in the United Kingdom and has not been convicted by any UK court of terrorism-related offences. He said no extradition request from India had resulted in action by British authorities and claimed that India’s accusations lacked legal standing in the UK.
Addressing the gathering, Pamma accused India of persecuting religious minorities, including Sikhs, Muslims and Christians, and said New Delhi could not deflect criticism by blaming Bangladesh for human rights violations. He added that the Khalistan Referendum campaign would continue its next phase to highlight alleged abuses against Sikhs.
The confrontation comes amid strained relations between India and Bangladesh following political developments in Dhaka and recent incidents of violence that have drawn international attention.
