Indian-Origin MP Criticises Canadian Pro-Khalistani Posters
Update: 2023-07-05 22:03 IST
An MP from Canada of Indian descent condemned the aggressive pro-Khalistani posters that called certain senior Indian diplomats "killers" and issued a dire warning that "snakes in our backyard are raising their heads and hissing."
A lawmaker for the Liberal Party from Karnataka named Chandra Arya said that it was just a matter of time until they would start to bite to kill, ostensibly alluding to the growing threat that Canadians supporting Khalistan represent.
Arya, who represents the Nepean region in the Canadian state of Ontario, tweeted a flyer advertising the purported "Khalistan Freedom Rally" on July 8. The message include "Khalistanis in Canada continue to reach (a) new low in abusing our Charter of Rights and Freedom by promoting violence and hate," reported Hindustan Times.
By referring to India's High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and Consul General to Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava, as the "killers" of Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Khalistani billboard has generated uproar throughout India.
It happened a month after Khalistanis displayed a tableau of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with blood on her clothes and a placard that said, "Revenge of attack on Shri Darbar Sahib" to commemorate the 39th anniversary of Operation Blue Star.
On Monday, India summoned Canada's ambassador to New Delhi and made a protest on the growing activities of pro-Khalistani elements there.
A day after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India has asked its ally nations, such as Canada, the UK, and the US, not to provide space to "extremist Khalistani ideology" as it is "not good" for relations, Canada on Tuesday reassured India of the safety of its diplomats.
The "promotional material" circulating prior to the Khalistan protest was deemed "unacceptable" by Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly in a statement on Tuesday.
As stated by Joly in the press release stressing Canada's commitment to the Vienna Conventions, "Canada takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously."
Joly stressed that a small group of people "do not speak for an entire community or Canada" by their acts.
Meanwhile, when questioned about allegations of Khalistani posters in Canada mentioning Indian diplomats, Jaishankar said the matter will be brought up with the authorities there.
He told reporters in New Delhi on Monday that the "radical, extremist Khalistani ideology" is bad for India and its allies, including the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia.
According to him, there have been numerous recent effects of the Khalistani issue on relations between the two nations.
According to Jaishankar, India has asked Canada to refrain from providing a platform for extremists and pro-Khalistani separatists.
On Tuesday, India also called Canadian High Commissioner Cameron MacKay into a meeting to discuss a problem.
The leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was fatally shot last month in front of a gurdwara in Canada.