Pro-Khalistani groups interrupted the peaceful Independence Day celebrations and created havoc at the Indian Consulate in Melbourne, Australia. According to the report published by The Australia Today, Indian nationals had gathered outside the consulate to peacefully celebrate the Independence Day. Meanwhile, Pro-Khalistani “goons” disrupted the event with Pro-Khalistan flags and slogans.
The ruckus created by the pro-Khalistan group led to a fierce argument between the Indian nationals and the Khalistani activists. A video circulated online shows that as the pro-Khalistan slogans were raised by the activists, as a counter strike Indian nationals began to sing patriotic songs.
As the situation seemed to be out of control, Australian authorities immediately reached the spot and thwarted further escalation in tensions. Authorities were also successful in circumventing any physical confrontation.
Escalating Pro-Khalistan Activities in Australia
The latest disruption and ruckus created by the pro-Khalistan activists comes as a testament to increasing pro-Khalistani ground across Australia. In the previous month, Pro-Khalistani separatists vandalized the Swaminarayan Temple in Boronia. During the incident the activists also uttered hateful and uncivilized words. They even spray-painted the temple walls.
Khalistani activists had also vandalized Asians-run restaurants and exclaimed similar messages by portraying the picture of Adolf Hitler. The even had assaulted a 23-year old Indian origin man in Adelaide over a trivial matter such as a parking issue.
In December 2024, a group of Khalistani activists attacked the Indian cricket fans and raised anti-India slogans during the fourth Test Match held between India and Australia.
The growing Khalistani menace especially in countries like UK, Canada, USA and Australia is a diplomatic and national security tussle for India. It is diplomatically a sensitive issue and it is challenging to tackle these anti-national elements as they emanate from the foreign soil. Diplomatic consensus and security cooperation is inevitable from the foreign country, for India to crackdown on these anti-national elements.
At multiple occasions, India has urged countries such as UK, Canada and Australia to not give space to Khalistani extremists. “These radical extremist ideologies are not good for us, them or for our ties”, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had asserted. Infact, Khalistani activists had tried to breach the security and attack EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar while he was on a bilateral visit to London in March 2025.
