‘Will affect our relations’: S Jaishankar on Indian diplomats’ names in pro-Khalistani posters in Canada 

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar on Monday said that featuring names of Indian diplomats on Khalistani posters in Canada will affect relations between the two countries. He added that India will raise the issue with partner nations like Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia.  

Jaishankar also said that India has requested these countries to not give space to pro-Khalistani elements. Jaishankar told ANI: "We have requested our partner countries like Canada, the United States, the UK and Australia not to give space to the Khalistanis. This will affect our relations. We will raise this poster issue with the government of these countries".  

Jaishankar’s comments came after media reports suggesting that Khalistani extremists are planning to take out a protest march to Indian embassies in Toronto and Vancouver on July 8 came out. These posters had threat references addressed to India’s high commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma and consulate general in Toronto Apoorva Srivastava, as per a report in Hindustan Times.  

Verma told the daily: “In the garb of freedom of expression, they are attempting to cause harm to foreign envoys, which may not be the intention of Canadian law and constitution, under which such rights are provided”.  

The protestors tried to blame Indian diplomats present in the country and security agencies for the killing of designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, who headed the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was killed in a shooting that took place in a gurudwara in Vancouver’s Surrey in June this year. As per preliminary information, Nijjar was shot dead by two assailants, PTI reported.  

In July last year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh on Nijjar as he was linked to a conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest in Punjab’s Jalandhar in 2021. He also had links with the proscribed terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.  

While the rally will start from Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara on July 8, it will end at the Indian Consulate in Vancouver. The protest rally in Toronto will start from Malton and culminate at the Indian High Commission in Toronto on the same day. The SFJ has also announced “kill India” rallies in eight countries on July 8. 

The report further suggests that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has contacted the Indian High Commission in Toronto and Vancouver and decided to give personal security to Indian diplomats including the High Commissioner and the Counsel General.  

(With agency inputs) 

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