Chandigarh, Nov 25 (IANS): The so-called protest by the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outside the venue of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's event in Birmingham in Britain was a damp squib, the state government said on Monday.

A handful of protesters gathered there not only had no popular or genuine support but they also did not succeed in disrupting the Chief Minister's programme in any way, a spokesperson for the government said.

Amarinder Singh on Sunday attended the entire event and was there for almost three hours, said the spokesperson, adding that it was so-called protesters who were, in fact, forced to beat a hasty retreat.

The Chief Minister had, in his address to the Indian diaspora at the event, dismissed the SFJ as an ISI-backed hardcore terrorist outfit with no ideological base.

The organisation had no agenda but to divide Punjab and India by creating a wedge in the Sikh community, he said, adding that their nefarious designs would not succeed in the face of India's unity and strength.

Punjab as well as India has been well equipped to tackle any threat against their peace and harmony, Chief Minister said.