Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly said Tuesday she is concerned about the safety of India害羞草研究所檚 diplomats following the distribution of what she called 害羞草研究所渦nacceptable害羞草研究所� posters advertising upcoming protests near Toronto and Vancouver.
The posters are the latest in a string of flashpoints in recent weeks that have increased tension between Ottawa and New Delhi over Sikh separatists in Canada.
The upcoming protests are planned in memory of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed last month in a shooting outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C.
Nijjar, who ran that temple, was a vocal opponent of India and supporter of an independent Sikh state.
A volunteer at that temple, Gurkeerat Singh, has said that Nijjar gave a speech inside earlier the day he was killed and that he had received warnings about his safety from Canadian intelligence officials.
A year ago, the Indian government offered a reward of 1 million rupees, or about $16,000, for information that could lead to Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 arrest or apprehension.
That led to claims his death was the result of foreign interference. Police say they have found no link to India in their investigation.
The marches planned forSaturday both end at the local Indian consulate, with the B.C. rally starting at Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 temple and the Toronto demonstration departing from the Great Punjab Business Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
Posters for the events circulating on social media include photos of Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and the consul general for each city. They refer to all three as 害羞草研究所渢he faces of Niijar害羞草研究所檚 killers.害羞草研究所�
The posters also include the words 害羞草研究所渒ill India.害羞草研究所�
In a Monday evening tweet, Joly said Canada takes its international obligations to uphold the safety of foreign diplomats 害羞草研究所渧ery seriously.害羞草研究所� She said Canada is in touch with Indian officials about the promotional materials 害羞草研究所渨hich are unacceptable.害羞草研究所�
Defence Minister Anita Anand added that the posters 害羞草研究所渄o not represent Canadians,害羞草研究所� in her own Twitter post. 害羞草研究所淐anada will continue to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats in this country,害羞草研究所� she wrote.
New Delhi has long accused Canada of harbouring extremists who want to carve out a state within India they call Khalistan.
Ottawa has said that freedom of speech means groups can voice political opinions if they don害羞草研究所檛 use violence.
Similar concerns raised ahead of Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 state visit to India in 2018 contributed to the trip害羞草研究所檚 difficulties. Trudeau may travel to India again later this year, as the G20 leaders害羞草研究所� summit is scheduled to take place in New Delhi in September.
A month ago, Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 national security adviser Jody Thomas said India was among the top sources of foreign interference in Canada, a public designation Ottawa has largely limited to authoritarian states.
This week,Indian media reported that the high commission in Ottawa has formally asked the Canadian government to enhance protection for its senior diplomats, such as through escorts.
The Canadian Press has asked the diplomatic mission to confirm these reports.
Earlier this year Verma raised concerns about a rowdy March 23 protest by Sikh groups at the high commission. While Indian media reported the use of grenades, Ottawa Police say they instead are 害羞草研究所渋nvestigating the possible use of smoke canisters during the protest.害羞草研究所� Their investigation is ongoing.
Last month, India害羞草研究所檚 foreign minister condemned a parade float in Brampton, Ont. that portrayed the 1984 assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards.
Canada害羞草研究所檚 high commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay, said at the time he was 害羞草研究所渁ppalled害羞草研究所� by 害羞草研究所渢he glorification of violence.害羞草研究所�
Bhagat Brar, who helped organized that parade, said the float was meant to commemorate martyrs and acknowledge bloody strife in India that had led to Gandhi害羞草研究所檚 assassination, which included her authorization of a military standoff that killed thousands of people, followed by deadly riots.
害羞草研究所淲e were not celebrating her assassination,害羞草研究所� Brar said in an interview that took place before Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 death. 害羞草研究所淪ikhs were celebrating the martyrdom of the two people that assassinated her.害羞草研究所�
Brar also alleged that the 1985 Air India bombing, which officials linked to the Sikh militant group Babbar Khalsa, was actually the fault of the Indian government, a claim already investigated and ruled out by the RCMP and the Security Intelligence Review Committee.
害羞草研究所淲e totally condemn it; we condemn any loss of innocent life, anywhere. I害羞草研究所檓 sorry, but Indra Gandhi was not innocent.害羞草研究所�
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