New Delhi: India on Tuesday summoned Canadian High Commissioner here after posters were put up in Canada by pro-Khalistani group calling Indian diplomats “killers.”
However, Canada has condemned the “promotional material” circulating ahead of the ‘Khalistan Freedom Rally’ and said it is “unacceptable.” The country stated that it takes its “obligations regarding safety of diplomats very seriously”.
“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 8th, which are unacceptable,” said Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly, earlier in the day.
She added, “We know that the actions of a few do not speak for an entire community, or Canada.”
My comment regarding some of the promotional material circulating for a planned protest on July 8. pic.twitter.com/yYoWDCvAdi
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) July 4, 2023
The posters were the invitation for a rally titled “Khalistan Freedom Rally” scheduled on July 8. Titled with “Kill India,” the posters accused Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and Consul General of India in Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava, of assassinating Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
This followed an outrage among the Indian diapsora living in Canada. The poster stated that the rally will start from Great Punjab Business Centre Malton and culminate at the Indian Embassy in Toronto (although Toronto houses the Consulate General of India, not the Indian Embassy).
In the poster, there were the pictures of both Indian officials in Canada, calling them the killers of Nijjar in Toronto.
