Brisbane honorary consulate ‘halted for little while’, issue taken up with Australia: MEA

NEW DELHI: Noting that its honorary consulate in Brisbane was “halted for little while”, India on Thursday said it had taken up the matter with the Australian authorities and the teams of two countries are in touch.

Answering queries during the weekly media briefing about the consulate being forced to close on Wednesday due to safety concerns after Khalistan supporters organised an unauthorised gathering, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the matter has been taken up with Australian authorities and they should take action.

“The consulate was halted for little while. The issue was raised with Australian authorities and they should take action. PM already spoke about such issues when Australian PM was in India. Our teams are in touch”, Bagchi said.

“There is a honorary consulate there (Brisbane). I understand that a small number of protesters were there and there was some disruption, but it’s not closed, the honorary consulate continues to function providing necessary services. I would not like to comment on footage, particularly a video footage which have not been confirmed, or sometimes they give a wrong impression. But, yes we have taken it up with the Australian government. PM Modi has taken up the issue with the Australian PM and we have been taking up it on a regular basis whenever such incidents occur”, he added.

The Indian Consulate in Brisbane was forced to close on Wednesday by Khalistan supporters, reported ‘The Australia Today’. “Slogans were raised against Hindus, calling them supremacists with Khalistan Zindabad,” it said. “Indian Consulate was forced to close today (Wednesday) due to safety concerns after Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) targeted them with their propaganda”, Sarah L Gates, Director of Hindu Human Rights, told The Australia Today.

During his visit to New Delhi earlier this month, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had said that his country won’t tolerate any extreme actions and attacks that take place in religious buildings, and that there is no place for such action against Hindu temples.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese had discussed disturbances created by pro-Khalistani outfits in Australia and the Australian Prime Minister assured that his government will take all necessary measures to ensure that peace and harmony prevail.

Beginning 2023, Hindu temples in Australia have seen a spurt in vandal attacks by Khalistani elements defacing the walls with anti-India slogans and graffiti. (ANI)