Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: A quarter of a century after it ended, the agitation by “Khalistani” extremists seems to be revived once again, not only in India but also overseas.
India has registered a strong protest with Italy over the vandalization of the Indian Embassy in Rome by the supporters of the so-called “Khalistan” movement, just ahead of the Republic Day celebrations on Tuesday.
The Indian Embassy building in the Italian capital of Rome was vandalized by violent Khalistani elements who also planted flags of Khalistan and scribbled “Khalistan zindabad” slogans on the walls on the night of January 25, reports said on Wednesday.
A video of the incident was also doing the rounds on social media.
The Indian Embassy has, in the past also, raised its concerns with the Italian authorities. Even before Republic Day, it had drawn the attention of the officials.
“We have taken up this specific incident with them and conveyed our concerns. Safety and security of Indian diplomats and diplomatic premises is the responsibility of the host government,” an official said.
That Pakistan-funded supported and sponsored “Khalistan Movement” is getting a new lease of life became apparent recently when extremists infiltrated the ongoing farmers’ agitation around New Delhi. Some of them even hijacked the tractor rally on Tuesday, diverted it towards the Red Fort where militants planted their flags on the ramparts.
Sikh extremists from Canada, UK, Australia, the USA, and New Zealand, who claimed to be “freedom fighters”, were reported to be congratulating rioters of Red Fort on social media on Tuesday. Following these reports, and the government action, hundreds of such accounts have been scrapped, media reported.
Khalistani extremists had even announced a reward of USD 250,000 to anyone who unfurled their flag on the Red Fort, a reason why so many rioters climbed up the ramparts and competed with each other to plant the flag first.