Khalistanis stage ‘ambush’ protest during PM Modi’s Canada visit

Khalistani separatists in Alberta staged an ‘ambush’ protest during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada to attend the G7 Summit and shouted slogans. The protests in Calgary drew the attention of Canadian media, but many journalists praised PM Mark Carney’s decision to invite Modi and regarded it as an indication that Canada is starting to repel pressure from separatists.

PM Modi, who is on a four-day, three-nation tour covering Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia, reached Canada for the second leg of his tour.

He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Mark Carney, and his counterparts from Germany, Italy, and Ukraine on the sidelines of the G7 summit.

Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman said some protesters also stomped on the Indian flag and tore it.

Another Canadian journalist, Mocha Bezirgan said in a post on X that Sikhs for Justice, a banned organisation in India, is calling for putting an end to “PM Modi’s politics”.

Earlier this month, Bezirgan, an independent journalist, was assaulted and threatened by a group of pro-Khalistan activists in Vancouver while covering their rally.

Meanwhile, Khalistani protests drew sharp criticism from the Sikh community back in India.

The Patna Sahib Gurudwara Takht has strongly condemned the anti-India protests by Khalistani extremists.

Bordman also praised Canadian PM Mark Carney for sending an invitation to PM Narendra Modi for the 51st G7 Summit and said the Khalistani presence is waning as economic realities take centre stage in Canada-India relations since Carney took charge of office.

India has consistently expressed concern over what it sees as Canada’s leniency toward Khalistani extremists and their supporters.

Bilateral relations between the two countries hit a new low largely due to Ottawa’s perceived inaction on the issue and its accusations against New Delhi of targeting pro-Khalistani elements in Canada.