India issues demarche, asks Canada to take action on Khalistan extremists targeting diplomats

In a strong step, India has served a demarche on the Canadian government to take decisive action against Khalistan terrorists planning to stage protests in front of Indian embassies in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

New Delhi urged the Justin Trudeau government to take pre-emptive action so that Khalistani elements planning to congregate outside the embassies could not desecrate the national flag, stick pamphlets or throw projectiles into the premises.

According to reports, while the Canadian High Commissioner was called to the South Block to convey the concerns, a note verbal was sent toGlobal Affairs Canada, the country's foreign ministry, on Tuesday (July 4).

The decision was taken after a pro-Khalistan poster emerged in Canada carrying the pictures and names of Indian High Commissioner Saurav Kumar Sharma and Counsellor Apurva Srivastava. Similarly, posters for the simultaneous rally in Vancouver surfaced with pictures of high-ranking Indian officials.

"Since the identities of those threatening Indian diplomats are known, the Canadian government this time has no excuses for not taking action or dismissing this threat as a legitimate democratic right of the protestors," a top government official was quotedas saying byHindustan Times.

The Khalistani extremists are claiming that India was responsible for the killing of Hardeep Nijjar - one of the prominent secessionist faces.

The 45-year-old Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chiefwas shotdead on June 18 by two unidentified men in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sahib in Surrey, Canada.

The protests are being organised by a proscribed organisation named Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which was responsible for the failed 'Khalistan Referendum'.

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EAM issues stern statement

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has already conveyed to Ottawa that it does not have the room for error this time around.

"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," said Jaishankar.

“We are already in touch with our partner countries like Canada. We have requested them not to give space to Khalistani groups. This poster, I believe, was issued a day back, and it has already been taken up with the country concerned through proper channels,” he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian consulate in San Francisco, USA was attacked for the second time in five months. The Khalistani extremists briefly set the consulate on fire beforeSan Francisco Fire Department intervened.

(With inputs from agencies)

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