New Delhi: Following a small pro-Khalistan demonstration, the Indian honorary consulate in Brisbane was disrupted for a “little while” on Wednesday. India has taken up the matter with Australia, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
On Wednesday, there were video clips on social media which claimed that the Indian honorary consulate was closed for a while after protests by Khalistan demonstrators.
“There is an honorary consulate there and not a Consulate General of India. I understand small number of protesters were there. For a little while there were some disruptions. But it is not closed,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing on Thursday.
He added that the honorary consulate continues to function normally. “I would not like to comment on footage, particularly video footage which are not been confirmed,” he said.
The MEA spokesperson noted that India had taken up the matter with Australia.
“We have taken it up with the government. You heard the prime minister taking it up with the Australian prime minister. And we have been taking up on a regular basis whenever such incidents occur. Unfortunately, they have occurred a number of times,” said Bagchi.
To another question about the so-called Khalistan referendum taking place in Brisbane, he replied, “…our views are very clear on this. I am not going to spell it out again what we are going to tell them…we have flagged it to our counterparts not just in Australia but other parts as well wherever such efforts have been made.”.
