Mohali (Punjab) [India], March 6 : Calling the pro-Khalistanis' protest outside the venue where External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's event in London "unfortunate," Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday said that no Sikh in India or outside is associated with this mindset.
"What happened in the UK is very unfortunate. There are a few people who want to break the country, they do such activities. Sikhs across the country and the world have to bear the brunt of it. No Sikh, neither in India nor outside, is associated with this mindset. We are patriots," Sirsa told reporters.
Meanwhile, BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh said that the pro-Khalistan protest in London against S Jaishankar during the External Affairs Minister's visit to the UK was merely an attention-seeking exercise.
"There are about 100-150 people across London who do such things. They do this just to draw people's attention. They neither have a base there nor supporters here in India," Singh said.
A group of protestors gathered with flags and loudspeakers and sloganeered outside Chatham House on Wednesday, where Jaishankar participated in an event.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that it strongly condemned the "provocative activities" of these separatists and extremists.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson said that India deplores the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements and expects the host government to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations in such cases.
"We have seen the footage of a breach of security during the visit of EAM to the UK. We condemn the provocative activities of this small group of separatists and extremists. We deplore the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements. We expect the host government in such cases to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations," an MEA spokesperson said.