India on Tuesday again hit out at Canada over a parade by Ontario Gurdwara Committee that raised separatist slogans and floats, including an offensive one against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging Ottawa to “stop providing criminal and secessionist elements a safe haven”.
The latest reminder comes barely a week after New Delhi summoned Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner over the Khalistan slogans raised at an event attended by their Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“Celebration and glorification of violence should not be a part of any civilized society. Democratic countries which respect the rule of law should not allow intimidation by radical elements in the name of freedom of expression.
“We continue to remain concerned about the security of our diplomatic representatives in Canada and expect the Government of Canada to ensure that they are able to carry out their responsibilities without fear,” said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.
Inflammatory speeches were delivered by Dal Khalsa’s Paramjit Mand and Avtar Singh Pannu, declared a terrorist by the Indian security agencies, at the six-km Nagar Kirtan organised at Malton in Canada on Sunday. One of the floats displayed a map of Khalistan.
“As you are aware, we have repeatedly raised our strong concerns regarding the violent imagery being used by extremist elements in Canada against our political leadership. Last year, a float depicting the assassination of our former Prime Minister was used in a procession,” said the Ministry.
“We again call upon the Government of Canada to stop providing criminal and secessionist elements a safe haven and political space in Canada,” the statement said further.
The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of 45-year-old Nijjar, a Khalistan separatist.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
India has dismissed Trudeau’s charges as “absurd” and “motivated.”
The presence of Sikh separatist groups in Canada has long frustrated India, which had designated Nijjar a “terrorist.”
After the arrest of the three Indian nationals last week in connection with the murder, police in Canada said they had worked with US law enforcement agencies without giving additional details.
Reacting to the arrests, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said Canada has been issuing visas to people with links to organised crime despite warnings from New Delhi.
“In some countries, these kinds of people have organised themselves politically and become a political lobby and in some of these democratic countries, the politicians of these countries are made to believe that if they defer to these people or pander to these people, these people have some ability to get a community to support them. So, they have tried to create space for themselves in the politics of these countries. I mean, at this time, it’s not so much a problem in the US,” Mr Jaishankar said last Saturday.
