Not welcome in UK: Boris Johnson on Indian fugitives in Britain
Fugitives who want to use the UK's legal system to evade the law in India are not welcome in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on a two-day India visit, said at a media briefing today.
Speaking about the extradition of financial fugitives Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, John said, "There are legal technicalities which have made it very difficult. The UK government has ordered their extradition. We don't welcome people who want to use our legal system to evade the law here in India."
The prime minister spoke about several issues at the briefing, including reports of human rights violations in India and extremist groups in the UK working against India, among other things.
"We've a very strong view that we don't tolerate extremist groups threatening other countries, threatening India. We've set up an anti-extremist task force to help India," the British PM said about Khalistani groups working against India from the UK.
"India is a great democracy and has constitutional protections," he said about reports of human rights violations in the country. "Of course, we have these conversations (on human rights or democratic values). The advantage of our friendship is that we can have them in a friendly way. It's very important to realise that India has constitutional protections for communities," he added.
The camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson was quite palpable at the briefing, with the UK PM calling PM Modi his "khaas dost (special friend)".
Appreciating the welcome he received in India, Johnson said he felt like Sachin Tendulkar.
"Thank you my friend Narendra. My khaas dost is the phrase I would use in Hindi. We have had a fantastic two days here in India," he said at the joint press event with PM Modi.
Johnson, who arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday as part of his two-day visit, is facing a parliamentary vote back in his country over the partygate scandal - PM Johnson and his ministers have been fined for violating Covid lockdown rules, holding parties in Downing Street flouting the curbs.
In the backdrop of the rapid geopolitical turmoil, PM Modi and his British counterpart Johnson agreed on a new and expanded India-UK defence partnership and vowed to seal an ambitious free trade agreement by the end of the year.
