Melbourne: An altercation between Indian-origin people, who had gathered to celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day and Khalistani supporters nearly ended up in physical violence outside the Consul General in Australia’s Melbourne on Friday.
According to Australia Today, an event marking India’s 79th Independence Day outside the Consul General in Australia’s Melbourne was disrupted by pro-Khalistani individuals. Indian nationals had gathered outside the consulate to peacefully celebrate Independence Day, when “goons” interrupted the event with Khalistani flags, the report said.
Videos of the incident were circulated online. They reveal a verbal altercation between the two groups. The separatist group raised pro-Khalistan slogans. In a counter-move, Indians defended their stance by singing patriotic songs.
According to the media, Australian authorities reached the spot and prevented the situation from escalating into a physical confrontation.
The tricolour was later hoisted at the consulate amid loud cheers of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”.
The Independence Day ruckus comes amid growing pro-Khalistan activities in Australia, with a worrying rise in targeted hate crimes.
In July, pro-Khalistan separatists defaced the Swaminarayan Temple in Australia’s Boronia, where hateful slurs, including “Go home brown c**t”, were spray-painted over the establishment’s wall. Asian-run restaurants nearby were also defaced with a similar message and portrait of Adolf Hitler.
This adds to the racial violence being faced by Indian-origin people in Melbourne and other Australian cities. Recently, a 23-year-old Indian origin man was assaulted in Adelaide over a parking dispute.
India has urged countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia, where such incidents are on the rise, not to give space to Khalistani extremists.
“These radical extremist ideologies aren’t good for us, them, or our ties,” foreign minister S Jaishankar had said recently.
A few days ago, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards can get cancelled if the holders get involved in any crime in the host country or are charged-sheeted in India. The cancellation of the OCI cards will curb their free movement in India.