- Wednesday, June 26, 2024
The external affairs minister said New Delhi has requested “partner countries” such as Canada, US, UK and Australia not to give space to pro-Khalistan activists.
By: Shubham Ghosh
REACTING to the surfacing of a Khalistani-backed poster in Canada featuring names of top Indian diplomats in that country in relation to the death of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Gujjar last month, India’s external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday (3) said New Delhi has requested “partner countries” such as Canada, US, UK and Australia not to give space to pro-Khalistan activists.
The minister, who has expressed his displeasure over the Khalistani activism against India in Canada in the past, said such incidents will affect New Delhi’s relations with these countries. He also said that India will raise the poster issue with the governments of those countries.
Outrage after ‘Kill India’ poster surfaces in Canada
Indians and India’s symbols have been targeted on the soil of these western democracies over the last few months, triggering strong reaction from the South Asian nation.
Extremists ‘celebrating’ Indira Gandhi assassination: India warns Canada, says not good for ties
#WATCH | On names of Indian diplomats in Khalistani posters in Canada, EAM Dr S Jaishankar, says "We have requested our partner countries like Canada, the United States, the UK and Australia not to give space to the Khalistanis. This will affect our relations. We will raise this… pic.twitter.com/U4IQBzZ35X
— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2023
The poster titled ‘Kill India’ accused Indian high commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and Indian consul general in Toronto Apoorva Srivastava of assassinating Nijjar who was shot dead by unknown assailants in a gurdwara campus in Canada’s Surrey.
The poster accusing the Indian diplomats is an invitation to a rally named ‘Khalistan Freedom Rally’ which will be held on July 8.
The Indian minister said the Khalistanis’ radical mindset was harmful to both India and its partner countries where they resided. He added that they were detrimental to India’s bilateral relations with these countries as well.
A number of Khalistan sympathisers alleged India’s hand behind the death of Nijjar.
According to one India media report, Indian authorities contacted Canadian foreign ministry officials and police departments in Ottawa and Toronto over the matter.
Last month, Jaishankar addressed the Khalistan issue during a town hall where he said that Canada seemed to be driven by “vote-bank politics”, which affected the countries’ bilateral relations.
