‘Must act upon it’: Meenakshi Lekhi on Indira Gandhi’s assassination float in Canada

Referring to the controversial video of a parade in Canada’s Brampton depicting the assassination celebration of former PM Indira Gandhi, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affair Meenakashi Lekhi on Thursday hit out at the Canadian government, saying that an offence cannot be celebrated, adding any assassination or murder is a crime in any democratic governance and the government of Canada must act against it.

She further said that all that is happening in Canada falls within the purview of law and order and the Government must act upon it.

“Any assassination or murder is a crime in any democratic governance. So, something which is an offence cannot be celebrated and thus all that is happening in Canada falls within the purview of law and order and the government must act upon it,” the minister said speaking to ANI.

Indira Gandhi served as the first and only woman Prime Minister of India from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984. She was shot dead by two of her own bodyguards at her official residence on October 31, 1984.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has expressed his concern over the reports and said there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists and “it is not good for relationships”.

“I think there is a bigger issue involved…Frankly, we are at a loss to understand other than the requirements of vote bank politics why anybody would do this…I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence. I think it is not good for relationships, not good for Canada,” Jaishankar said in response to a query about reports of late PM Indira Gandhi’s assassination celebration in the Canada city.

Earlier in the day, High Commissioner for Canada in India Cameron MacKay condemned the celebration of the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

MacKay said that he is “appalled” by reports of an event in Canada that celebrated the killing of Indira Gandhi.

“I am appalled by reports of an event in Canada that celebrated the assassination of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. There is no place in Canada for hate or for the glorification of violence. I categorically condemn these activities,” he said in a tweet.

Congress has also strongly condemned the glorification of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassins during the parade.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here today, Congress general secretary and party MP, Randeep Singh Surjewala condemned the pro-Khalistan parade in Canada and the glorification of Indira Gandhi’s assassins.

Surjewala said, “Ms Gandhi, as also the then Punjab Chief Minister late Beant Singh and thousands of Congress workers had laid down their lives to defend the unity and integrity of the country.”