India Dismisses UK Parliamentary Committee Report as 'Baseless and Dubious'

India has categorically rejected the accusation leveled by a UK parliamentary committee that New Delhi was engaged in transnational repression operations. On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a reaction to the allegations calling them groundless and based on unverifiable sources.

The UK Joint Committee on Human Rights published a report on 30 July, citing purported evidence that the governments of states like India, China, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and a few others had practiced acts of transnational repression within British territory.

To queries regarding India's reference in the report, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We have seen the mentions of India in the report and reject these unfounded charges categorically. These are unverified and suspect sources, mostly associated with proscribed groups and individuals with a clear, documented record of anti-India animosity. The intentional use of discredited sources raises questions about the credibility of the report itself."

The UK committee, in its report, stressed the necessity for more robust action against what it termed the growing trend of transnational repression (TNR). The committee cautioned that some foreign governments are becoming more brazen with attempts to harass, silence, or intimidate people and diaspora communities residing in the UK. The committee called on the British government to strengthen protection mechanisms and assistance to those targeted.

The row occurs at a time when India-UK relations have been strained due to fears over the activities of pro-Khalistan radicals in the UK. Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the concerns in a direct manner during his official trip to London last week while standing alongside his UK counterpart, Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Addressing a joint press conference on July 24, PM Modi stated, "We appreciate Prime Minister Starmer and his Government for unequivocally condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. We are together convinced that no place has room for double standards in combating terrorism. We are also of the view that forces of extremist ideology cannot be permitted to exploit democratic freedom.". Those who use democratic freedoms for the purpose of destroying democracy itself, must be brought to book.

Modi’s remarks come amid rising tensions over the presence of radical pro-Khalistan groups in Britain. These groups have previously been involved in acts targeting Indian diplomatic missions. In March 2023, Khalistani elements vandalized the Indian High Commission in London, prompting India to register a strong protest with the British government and demand answers over the apparent lack of security.

In a different incident this year, Khalistani protesters converged outside London's Chatham House during an event where External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was present. A video of one demonstrator running towards Jaishankar's vehicle as he was leaving the venue raised questions about a serious security breach.

Such events have become an ongoing issue for New Delhi, and Indian authorities have again and again called upon the UK to take stronger measures against extremist forces working under cover of democratic freedoms.