In telephone talks with Modi, UK PM regrets violence outside Indian mission in London

PTI, Aug 21, 2019, 11:03 AM IST

New Delhi: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday held a telephonic conversation with Narendra Modi and regretted the incidents of violence outside the Indian High Commission in London on Independence Day last week.

During the conversation, Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of violence against members of the Indian diaspora celebrating Independence Day outside the Indian mission, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Modi drew Johnson’s attention to the challenges posed by vested interests pursuing their motivated agenda, including by violent means.

“In this context he referred to the violence and vandalism perpetrated by a large mob against the High Commission of India in London on the last Independence Day of India,” the statement read.

Prime Minister Johnson regretted the incident and assured that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure safety and security of the High Commission, its personnel and visitors, the statement said.

Violent clashes took place outside the Indian High Commission when thousands of people converged there for “pre-planned protests and counter-demonstrations” on last Thursday.

The anti-India protest was organised by Pakistani groups as well as Sikh and Kashmiri separatist outfits over the government’s decisions to scrap special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and divide the state into two Union Territories.

A separate pro-India demonstration also took place outside India House as a counter to the anti-India protests.

During the conversation, Prime Minister Modi also said that terrorism had plagued all parts of the world, including India and Europe.

He stressed the importance of effective steps to ward off the threats posed by radicalisation, violence and intolerance, particularly in the context of the expanding footprint of terrorist organisations such as ISIS.

The prime minister congratulated Johnson on his election to the high office and expressed his readiness to work with him for strengthening the strategic partnership between India and the United Kingdom.

Johnson congratulated Modi on the latter’s emphatic electoral victory for a second term in office.

Both leaders agreed that as the world’s pre-eminent democracies, the two countries have much to contribute together to effectively address the many challenges faced by the world.

The two leaders looked forward to interacting during the G-7 Summit in France.