NEW DELHI – India on Thursday reiterated its “serious objection” to eventin the UK that seeks to “glorify” Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wanilink> , whose killing in July2016 triggered a prolonged period of unrest in the Kashmir valley.
An event to commemorate Wani’s death in Birmingham last July evoked a noteverbale, or semi-formal communication, to the Foreign Office from India,prompting the local city council to withdraw permission. However, the eventwas held later after the council allowed it to go ahead.
“We have no objection to peaceful events on political issues but takeserious objection to any effort to glorify terrorists,” India’s deputy highcommissioner Dinesh Patnaik said following reports that a simular event maybe organised this year.
“Would any council give permission to glorify terrorists who commit acts inthe United Kingdom, such as the person who committed the Westminster Bridgeattack last year,” he said. Five people were killed in the March 22 attacknear British Parliament.
Home secretary Amber Rudd has been urged by Birmingham councillor PeterDouglas Osborn (Conservative) to ban any event to protest Wani’s killingthis year. In a letter to Rudd, he said: “Intelligence suggests thatanother protest is being planned.”
Osborn, who is yet to receive a reply from Rudd, said on Thursday he wasaware of such efforts locally. “We should not be honouring terrorists,particularly people who want to drive other religions out of Jammu andKashmir,” he said.
The councillor wrote to Rudd that last year’s event in Birmingham had“caused a lot of upset to our Indian community”, and recalled that he hadpromised to get any event this year banned. “Indian media are verysensitive to such extremists being lauded in this country,” he said in theletter.
In its 2017 note verbale, India had said that allowing an event tocommemorate an individual considered a terrorist by New Delhi was notexpected of the Theresa May government. Wani had been photographed with anAK-47 rifle, seeking the dismemberment of India, it was pointed out.
Concerns over anti-India forces functioning in Britain were raised whenvisiting minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju met security minister BenWallace here in January.