New Delhi: The Press Trust of India’s (PTI) Washington DC-based chief United States correspondent, Lalit K Jha, said early Sunday that he had been hit by a protester while covering a pro-Amritpal Singh protest outside the Indian embassy. He tweeted a video that appeared to show two protesters hurling abuse at him.
This was one of several protests that have been taking place in multiple countries in support of Amritpal, the radical activist, who has been the subject of an ongoing manhunt in Punjab and neighbouring states.
“Thank you [United States Secret Service for] my protection [today for] helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from the hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed [to a] police van [for] safety fearing physical assault,” Jha tweeted with the video earlier Sunday.
The Indian Embassy in Washington DC subsequently condemned the incident in a press release.
“We condemn such a grave and unwarranted attack on a senior journalist. Such activities only underscore the violent and antisocial tendencies of the so-called ‘Khalistani protestors’ and their supporters, who routinely engage in wanton violence and vandalism,” the Embassy said.
In the video posted by Jha, an elderly protester is seen accusing him on camera of “reporting to the Indian government” before another protester repeatedly targeted him with expletives, referring to him as a “dog for being [Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s] little b****”.
Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2day 4 helping do my job, otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks & earlier I had to call 9/11 & rushed 2 police van 4 safety fearing physical assault👇. pic.twitter.com/IVcCeP5BPG
— Lalit K Jha ललित के झा (@lalitkjha) March 25, 2023
Jha is then accidentally hit by the second protester’s flag as he turns around to walk away, prompting an apology before the video cuts out.
Meanwhile, United States Congressman Rohit “Ro” Khanna, who is born in Philadelphia to Punjabi Hindu parents, also condemned the attack on Jha. In his tweet, Khanna called Jha as “one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists.”
Subsequently, Jha also thanked Khanna for his support on Twitter.
Thanks @RoKhanna https://t.co/4mvu1yLotz
— Lalit K Jha ललित के झा (@lalitkjha) March 26, 2023
Jha’s experience is the latest in a long line of incidents and skirmishes globally involving pro-Amritpal protests.
Born in the Amritsar district and having previously worked in Dubai, Singh — who had succeeded the late actor Deep Sidhu as the chief of separatist political group Waris Punjab De — has been the subject of a manhunt across northern India this month.
Earlier this week, a scheduled event to be attended by an Indian envoy in Surrey in Canada’s British Columbia province had been called off due to security concerns following violence that took place at pro-Amritpal protests in the area.
India on Sunday hit out at Canada in light of the violence and summoned the High Commissioner of Canada in New Delhi seeking an “explanation on how [Khalistani] elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of [India’s] diplomatic Missions and Consulates”.
India lodges strong protest with Canada.
Press Release ➡️ https://t.co/xzqHzbZT2X pic.twitter.com/NNzLI2izsf
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 26, 2023
In the United Kingdom, similar protests received heightened media attention last week after a group of protesters was filmed taking down an Indian flag outside India’s High Commission in London before the flag was recovered by Indian security personnel. The UK’s High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, condemned the vandalism on 19 March.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
Also Read: ‘They carried concealed weapons’: Sikh restaurateur in London claims attack by Khalistan supporters