JE News Desk: The attempted arson at Indian Consulate in California’s San Francisco and the violent rhetoric targeting Indian Diplomats by Khalistani radicals were condemned by senior US representatives. This comes days after the attack took place.
Khalistani extremists in Canada, the US have targeted Indian diplomats including Indian Ambassador to these two countries. They have accused Indian diplomats of being involved in the killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
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US Congressmen Shri Thanedar, Rich McCormick and Brian Fitzpatrick, from Michigan 13th district, Georgia's 6th Congressional district and Pennsylnania's 1st Congressional district respectively, took to Twitter to register their outrage at attempts by pro-Khalistani elements to "instil terror".
Members of the US House of Representatives like Shri Thanedar, Rich McCormick and Brian Fitzpatrick have expressed outrage over the attempts of Khalistani extremists to set the Indian consulate in San Francisco on fire. The condemnation comes just before a huge rally called by pro-Khalistan groups outside Indian missions in Canada on July 8. India has used a demarche to Canada asking it to ensure safety of its diplomats as they fear attempts of vandalism may take place.
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"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the attacks at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Violence and attempts to instil terror are unacceptable in democracy," tweeted Shri Thanedar, Democratic representative from Michigan’s 13th Congressional district. He is one of the few representatives in the United States’ Congress who were born outside the country.
Shri also ran for the Democratic Party’s nomination to content the gubernatorial race in Michigan. Republican representative from Georgia’s 6th Congressional district Rich McCormick called the attack on the Indian consulate “vile”.
"This attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco is vile and unacceptable. Americans stand by our allies and our patriotic Indian-American community," he said.
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"This kind of violence is lawless and unacceptable. I firmly condemn the repeated hateful attacks on the Indian Consulate and look forward to those involved being held accountable with appropriate legal action," another Republican representative from Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional district Brian Fitzpatrick said.
There is also an India Caucus in the US House of Representative. Caucus is simply formal grouping of representatives who share similar values like the progressive caucus or black caucus (of African-American representatives). India Caucus strongly condemned the incident at Indian consulate in San Francisco and said that free speech is not a licence to provoke violence.
They also raised concerns about the July 8 rally called by extremists in Canada.
"As the co-chairs of the India Caucus, we strongly condemn the attempted arson and vandalism at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and the posters circulating on social media with violent rhetoric aimed at Indian diplomats, including Ambassador Sandhu," Co-chairs of the India Caucus Ro Khanna and Michael Waltz said in a press release.
"We support the right to free speech and freedom of expression for every American, but that is not a license to vandalize property or incite violence. Violence against diplomatic facilities is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated. We urge the State Department to coordinate with law enforcement in their investigation of the damage at the Indian Consulate expeditiously and hold those involved accountable," they added.
(With agency inputs)