Several US lawmakers, notably Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the Indian ambassador to the US, condemned the attempted arson and aggressive speech directed against Indian officials.
US Congressmen Shri Thanedar, Rich McCormick, and Brian Fitzpatrick, who represent the 13th congressional district in Michigan, the 6th congressional district in Georgia, and the 1st congressional district in Pennsylvania, respectively, expressed their displeasure on Twitter at pro-Khalistani groups’ attempts to sow terror. On July 2, a group of extremists from Khalistan attempted to set fire to the Indian consulate in San Francisco. Shri Thanedar, a congressman from the US, strongly criticized the occurrence in a tweet.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the attacks at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Violence and attempts to instill terror are unacceptable in democracy,” tweeted Thanedar.
McCormick termed the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco as unacceptable.
He tweeted, “This attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco is vile and unacceptable. Americans stand by our allies and our patriotic Indian-American community.”
Rep Fitzpatrick called for appropriate legal action against those involved in the incident.
Taking to his official Twitter handle, he wrote, “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.”
The attempted arson attack on the Indian Consulate by pro-Khalistanis and their ensuing rally on July 8 was also condemned by the co-chairs of India Caucus, saying free speech is not a license to provoke violence.
Co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India, Ro Khanna and Michael Waltz tweeted letter as press release. They also appealed to the US State Department to investigate the damage and take necessary action.
As co-chairs of the India Caucus, @RepWaltzPress and I condemn the attempted arson and vandalism at the Indian Consulate in San Fransisco along with the recent violent rhetoric aimed at Indian diplomats. Our statement: pic.twitter.com/lTOUMsqpSL
— Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) July 6, 2023
Earlier, on July 2, around 1.40 am (local time), a group of Khalistan radicals made an attempt to set the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on fire, the sources told.
"Vile, unacceptable": US lawmakers condemn attempted arson at Indian Consulate
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/3YADimnaUL#USLawmakers #ShriThanedar #RichMcCormick #BrianFitzpatrick #IndianConsulate #TaranjitSinghSandhu pic.twitter.com/d0bqTT3Lke
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 7, 2023
A video of the incident was verified by sources who told ANI the fire was suppressed quickly by the San Francisco Fire Department. The Local San Francisco police department, special diplomatic security personnel, and state and federal authorities were notified and began investigating the incident.
July 4, 2023
American Sikh Caucus Committee, AGPC
and Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast strongly condemn the vandalism and attempted arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. The perpetrators must be held accountable and brought to justice. pic.twitter.com/1EdrYcc3TY— Manjit Singh-Samra (@SamraManjit) July 4, 2023
Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Dr TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General, Consulate General of India, San Francisco, were targeted in a poster purportedly circulated by Sikh extremists, who accused them of playing a role in the June killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief and designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
According to sources, India on Monday (July 3) raised concerns over threats to its diplomats in posters being circulated in Canada with information on a pro-Khalistan rally to be held on July 8. The posters contained threats to the Indian ambassador to Canada and the consulate general in Toronto.
A similar poster announcing the rally date also came to the fore in San Francisco.
The rally is being held in the name of Harjit Singh Nijjar aka Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist who was killed in a targeted shooting in Canada’s Surrey on June 18.
This is not the first time that the San Francisco consulate has come under attack.
Multiple incidents of protests by Khalistan supporters have been staged outside the Indian embassy and the San Francisco Consulate.
However, no action against any person or group has been taken as yet.
The extremist Sikh groups are also planning to rally outside the Indian missions in the US on July 8.