India demarches Canada, warns against desecration of Indian flag by Sikh extremists

India has served a demarche on Canada on planned protests by pro-Khalistan terrorist outfits outside Indian High Commission in Ottawa, and two consulates in Toronto and Vancouver on July 8.

It has asked the Justin Trudeau government to take strong measures to prevent the protestors from gathering close to missions and consulates, desecrating the Indian National Flag, sticking pamphlets or items to the boundary fence and throwing projectiles into the Indian diplomatic premises in Canada.

While the Canadian High Commissioner was called to the South Block on Monday to convey Indian concerns very bluntly, the note verbal was sent to Global Affairs Canada early morning Tuesday (IST). The Indian High Commissioner to Canada reminded the Trudeau government that Sikh extremists had lobbed two smoke grenades into the High Commission premises on March 23, 2023.

The protests are being organized by US-based proscribed organization SFJ, whose main link in Canada, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was gunned down in Surrey, Vancouver on June 19 in inter-gang warfare. The arch rivals of Khalistan Tiger Force terrorist Nijjar pumped him with 15 bullets for taking over crime in Surrey but the SFJ has used this killing to blame Indian security agencies to raise funds and radicalize the Sikh youth against Indian diaspora in the west. The attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco is part of the SFJ campaign run by terrorist G S Pannu, who gets soft treatment in the west particularly in Canada and UK.

The Indian High Commission in Canada has asked the Federal Government to take all safety precautions including providing escort to the High Commissioner and two Consul Generals till the overall threat subsides and especially during the events attended by them. The Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, Consul General Vancouver Manish, Consul General Toronto Apoorva Srivastava have been named in the pamphlets circulated by the extremists as if to blame them for terrorist Nijjar’s killing.

The Indian mission has also informed the Canadian authorities that these Khalistan separatists have planned to burn the Indian national flag during the protest, indicating the violent nature or extremist character of these gatherings planned in Toronto and Vancouver.

Despite the Narendra Modi government taking up the threat posed by designated SFJ convenor G S Pannu with Canada, UK, US and Germany through the diplomatic and intelligence channels, the Canadian, UK and German authorities treat these extremists with kid gloves in the name of right to protest. However, New Delhi has decided not to take the desceration and burning of Indian national flag lying down and there will be retaliation if the July 8 protests turn violent in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancvouver.