Satyam Surana was seen on camera picking up the national flag during a protest by Khalistanis
An Indian student who picked up the national flag that had fallen on the ground during a protest by Khalistanis in London has slammed what he called the tendency of some Indians abroad to be anti-India "just to appear cool".
Satyam Surana, a student of the London School of Economics, was seen on camera picking up the national flag during a protest by Khalistanis in front of the Indian High Commission in London on Monday.
"It is a matter of worry to see attacks on Indians... India is on its way to becoming a superpower and one of the largest economies. These protests are to distract India from growing," Mr Surana told NDTV today.
"I saved the dignity of my country. But there are many instances when Indians go outside and become anti-India to be cool. They talk ill about India without any knowledge, just to show they are nice people among those who hate India," he added.
Mr Surana asked Indians to keep watch on "such elements".
"It is upon us to keep an eye on these elements. It is important to answer them intellectually, not physically," he said.
Khalistani protesters were on Monday cordoned off on either side of the street from the Indian High Commission in London. A group of protesters, however, breached the barricades and crossed over to the side of the building with an Indian flag and a bottle of what they called "cow urine".
Khalistani supporters claimed they were protesting over the killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
Mr Satyam's video where he is seen picking up the national flag from the ground went viral when former Adviser to the UK government Colin Bloom posted a video on X, formerly Twitter.
The Indian High Commission said it reported the incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police.
It said multiple community organisations, including the organisers, have formally regretted the incident and have urged the authorities to take action against the culprits.