Canada: Pro-Khalistanis target again, protest against Indian diplomat
- In Reports
- 09:37 PM, Jul 05, 2024
- Myind Staff
Pro-Khalistan elements staged another protest against an Indian diplomat on Thursday, marking over 20 demonstrations targeting Indian officials and missions in Canada within the past year. The latest protest, organised by the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), targeted India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, in connection with allegations of Indian agents' involvement in the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 last year in Surrey, British Columbia.
The series of protests began with the first Nijjar-related demonstration on July 8, 2023, and has since exceeded 20 incidents. Each time, India has raised questions about the planned protests with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the nation’s foreign ministry, and received better security measures.
Protesters gathered in front of the High Commission building in Ottawa, shouting anti-India slogans for approximately four-and-a-half hours. A senior Indian official reported that the security was "inadequate" and a complaint was filed with the Canadian authorities. However, there was "no major disruption" during the protest.
The protests, which began last July, have been fuelled by posters circulated online and used during the events, featuring slogans like “Kill India” and images of the High Commissioner and India’s Consul Generals in Toronto and Vancouver. The momentum of these protests increased after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement in the House of Commons, asserting "credible allegations" of a potential link between Indian agents and Nijjar’s murder. While four Indian nationals have been arrested concerning the murder this year, investigators have yet to provide evidence of such a link, although the probe continues.
Initially, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, condemned the promotional material for the rallies as “unacceptable” and affirmed Canada’s commitment to ensuring the safety of diplomats under the Vienna Conventions. However, such criticism has not been repeated since Trudeau’s statement on September 18 last year.
In addition to protests outside diplomatic missions, pro-Khalistan groups have also targeted temples and venues where Indian officials were present for consular camps in November last year. This March, they staged protests during trade and business events held by the High Commissioner in Surrey, Edmonton, and Calgary in Alberta.
Gurpatwant Pannun, SFJ’s general counsel, has warned that these Khalistan rallies will persist “until Indian diplomats are forced to leave.”
Image source: AFP
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