On 25th September, pro-Khalistani elements organised protests and rallies outside Indian Consulates in different cities of Canada, demanding the expulsion of Indian diplomats. Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice’s chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun called the protests.
The call for protests came after allegations were made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against India over the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.
Reports suggest Khalistanis failed to gather support as only a handful of pro-Khalistanis came out to protest, and at some locations, spectators and media personnel outnumbered the protesters.
According to a report in News18, only 25 people showed up outside Indian Consulate in Vancouver and waved Khalistani flags. Some of them held placards thanking Trudeau for “standing with Sikhs”. Interestingly, the media persons and police personnel outnumbered the protesters at the rally. Though the official press release claimed there were 100 protesters, eyewitnesses told News18 that only 25 protesters turned up at the site.
In Toronto, around 100 protesters gathered and raised anti-India slogans. They also raised “Khalistan Zindabad” slogans. Shockingly, they slapped and spat on a cardboard cutout of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and burnt Indian flags in while the Canadian police watched.
A similar scene was seen in the Canadian capital Ottawa where around 100 pro-Khalistani elements gathered outside Indian High Commission’s office, waving Khalistani flags and raising pro-Khalistani slogans.
The Khalistani elements burnt PM Modi’s effigy with the Indian flag.
Social media videos suggest that some protesters wrapped a football with an Indian flag and played with it.
One video showed Khalistanis tearing the Indian flag and standing on a large Indian flag.
Following the calls of protests by SFJ, barricading was done outside Indian Missions in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. Local and federal police were deployed by the Canadian authorities to maintain law and order.
Canada accused India of killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Tensions rose between India and Canada after Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Canada expelled an Indian diplomat after the allegations, but other allied countries refused to issue a joint statement against India.
In retaliation, India denied the allegations and expelled a Canadian diplomat. The dispute led to India stopping visa issuance to Canadian citizens and halting trade talks between the two countries. India had previously expressed concerns about increasing Khalistani activities in Canada, including speeches by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun during a so-called Khalistan referendum. It was also revealed that Nijjar was on the US No Fly list, leading to questions about why Canada was providing a haven for designated terrorists and organized crime, as noted by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.