India summons Canadian envoy over Khalistani posters, lodges protest: Sources

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 04, 2023: India summoned Canadian High Commissioner Cameron MacKay on Monday to convey concerns ahead of protests by pro-Khalistan terrorist outfits outside the Indian High Commission in Ottawa, and two consulates in Toronto and Vancouver on July 8, sources told India Today. The action comes after Khalistani threat posters in Canada featured names of Indian diplomats.

 

A strong demarche was issued regarding the posters and another incident on March 23 where Sikh extremists had lobbed two smoke canisters into the High Commission premises. Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Verma has also taken up the matter with Canadian authorities, sources said.

While the Canadian High Commissioner was called to the South Block yesterday, a note verbale was sent to Global Affairs Canada today, sources added.

Recently, the Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, Consul General Vancouver Manish, Consul General Toronto Apoorva Srivastava were named in the pamphlets circulated by the extremists, claiming that India was responsible for the killing of Khalistani Hardeep Nijjar.

Khalistan Tiger Force chief Nijjar, one of the most wanted terrorists in India, was shot on June 18 by two unidentified men in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sahib in Surrey, Canada.

’UNACCEPTABLE’

Meanwhile, Canada has assured the safety of Indian diplomats ahead of the ’Khalistan Freedom Rally’ on July 8. Terming the "promotional material" circulating ahead of the Khalistan rally "unacceptable", Canada said it takes “obligations regarding safety of diplomats very seriously”.

In a tweet, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joy said, "Canada takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously. Canada remains in close contact with Indian officials in light of some of the promotional material circulating online regarding a protest planned for July 8, which are unacceptable."

“We know that the actions of a few do not speak for an entire community, or Canada,” she added.

The assurance comes after India urged Canada not to give space to Khalistani groups and warned this would affect relations between the countries.

"We have requested our partner countries like Canada, US, UK and Australia, where sometimes Khalistani activities happen, not to give space to the Khalistanis. Because they’re (Khalistanis) radical, extremist thinking is neither good for us nor them nor our relations," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday.

Courtesy: India Today