‘Promotion of violence….’: Canada in first reaction to controversial float depicting Indira Gandhi's assassination

Amid a strain in India-Canada ties, a recent incident in which Khalistani extremists put up imagery to glorify the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Brampton sparked fresh concerns. Canadian High Commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay, reacted to the incident on Tuesday and said that "promotion of violence" is "never acceptable" in Canada. 

"The Government of Canada is aware of further imagery displayed in Brampton on Sunday. Canada’s position is clear: The promotion of violence is never acceptable in Canada," Cameron MacKay said in a post on X.

The development comes amid an all-time low in the ties between India and Canada, which began in November 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that India was involved in the incident in which Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot to death in British Columbia in June last year. 

India rejected the claims and called it "absurd." The allegations were followed by both countries expelling each other's diplomats. 

Chandra Arya, an Indian-origin member of the Canadian Parliament, expressed concerns over the acts of Khalistani terrorists in the country. He said that they are attempting to "instill fear of violence in 'Hindu-Canadians'" by putting up posters of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. 

'Take exemplary action'

India's High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, said that the Government of India has urged the Canadian authorities at all levels to take exemplary action against the public display of violence and hatred. "Indian nationals living in Canada feel intimidated by such hatred being propagated. Unfortunately, this has happened in Canada time and again. Canadian systems and society have failed to put any cost on the perpetrators," Verma had said.

Canada has been the centre of anti-India movements by Khalistani terrorist groups over the past few years, and several such incidents made global headlines. The extremist elements are indulging in chanting anti-India slogans, putting up threatening posters and vandalism of Hindu temples.