Pro-Khalistan protest disrupts Independence Day event in Melbourne

Pro-Khalistan protest disrupts Independence Day event in Melbourne

A celebration marking India’s 79th Independence Day outside the Consul General’s office in Melbourne, Australia, was disrupted by pro-Khalistani protesters.

According to The Australia Today, Indian nationals had gathered peacefully to mark the occasion when individuals waving Khalistani flags interrupted the event.

Videos circulating online show a heated verbal exchange between the two groups, with the separatists chanting pro-Khalistan slogans while Indians responded by singing patriotic songs. Australian authorities quickly intervened, preventing the situation from escalating into physical confrontation.

Despite the disruption, the Indian tricolour was hoisted at the consulate amid spirited chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram.”

The incident comes against the backdrop of increasing pro-Khalistan activity and targeted hate crimes in Australia.

Last month, Melbourne’s Swaminarayan Temple in Boronia was vandalized with hateful graffiti, including racial slurs and the image of Adolf Hitler. Several nearby Asian-owned restaurants were also defaced with similar messages. Earlier, a 23-year-old Indian-origin man in Adelaide was assaulted during a parking dispute.

India has repeatedly urged countries such as Australia, Canada, and the UK to curb extremist Khalistani elements. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has stressed that such “radical extremist ideologies” harm not only bilateral ties but also the countries that allow them to flourish.