Ontario’s Pro-Khalistan Rally Sparks Diplomatic Tension
<p>Amidst the escalating tension between India and Canada, and once again in a bid to provoke New Delhi, an assembly convened in Ontario on Sunday, the 5th of May, advocating Pro-Khalistani sentiments. As per reports, the gathering, a segment of the annual Nagar Kirtan Parade arranged by the Ontario Gurudwara Committee (OGC), witnessed the presence […]</p>
Ontario’s Pro-Khalistan Rally Sparks Diplomatic Tension
Amidst the escalating tension between India and Canada, and once again in a bid to provoke New Delhi, an assembly convened in Ontario on Sunday, the 5th of May, advocating Pro-Khalistani sentiments. As per reports, the gathering, a segment of the annual Nagar Kirtan Parade arranged by the Ontario Gurudwara Committee (OGC), witnessed the presence of Khalistani adherents vocalizing anti-India rhetoric.
It is noteworthy that the occasion endured vitriolic discourse delivered by Paramjit Mand of the Dal Khalsa, also issuing threats towards Indian officials and contesting the nation’s autonomy.
Avtar Singh Pannu, a figure designated as a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) and affiliated with Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), was also in attendance, rallying for backing in the forthcoming plebiscite in Calgary.
The Ministry of External Affairs is yet to formally address the current situation. In the previous week, India vehemently objected to the Pro-Khalistani chants at an event attended by Canadian dignitaries in Toronto.
“The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday in light of the espousal of separatist slogans on ‘Khalistan’ during an event personally addressed by the Prime Minister of Canada,” articulated the MEA in an official statement.
On Sunday, Pro-Khalistan chants reverberated at an event in Toronto while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the audience. The pro-Khalistan slogans were vocalized during the Khalsa Day observance.
In his oration, Trudeau assured the Sikh populace that the Canadian administration would safeguard their liberties and freedoms at all costs. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh, and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow were among the attendees of the Khalsa Day festivity in Toronto.
Khalsa Day, also known as Vaisaki, commemorates the onset of the Sikh New Year. India’s Ministry of External Affairs emphasized the Government of India’s profound apprehension and firm protest at such disquieting occurrences being allowed to persist unchecked at the event.
“This once again underscores the political leeway granted in Canada to separatism, extremism, and violence. Their persistent articulations not only affect India-Canada relations but also foster an atmosphere of aggression and lawlessness in Canada, to the detriment of its own populace,” reiterated the MEA.
Thousands of individuals were observed congregating in downtown Toronto last week. It marked one of the largest annual congregations in the metropolis. “To the nearly 800,000 Canadians of Sikh lineage throughout this nation, we pledge unwavering support to safeguard your entitlements and liberties, and we vow to shield your community from bigotry and prejudice,” proclaimed Trudeau in his discourse to the assemblage in Toronto.
