LONDON (Diya TV) — Canadian High Commissioner Cameron MacKay condemned the controversial inclusion of a float depicting the 1984 assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during an event in Brampton. The float, part of a parade marking the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, has sparked significant backlash. “The promotion of violence is never acceptable in Canada,” MacKay stated on Tuesday via social media platform X.
This response follows earlier condemnations from Canadian ministers regarding similar provocative floats by Khalistani activists in front of the Indian consulate in Vancouver. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has yet to comment on the latest incidents.
High Commissioner MacKay emphasized Canada’s stance against promoting violence, referencing the float in Brampton which depicted the moment of Indira Gandhi’s assassination. The float featured a grim scene of Gandhi being shot by her bodyguards, with accompanying posters suggesting her “punishment” was delivered on October 31, 1984. Another poster depicted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the caption “punishment waiting,” further inflaming tensions.
Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, has called for stringent action against these public displays 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 stated.
The incident has drawn widespread attention on social media, with fresh posters depicting Indira Gandhi’s assassination circulating online and sparking further controversy. The recent display has added to the strained relations between India and Canada, already under pressure following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusations against the Indian government regarding the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement, was shot dead outside a Gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. Trudeau’s public allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s death have been strongly denied by India, which has dismissed them as politically motivated and absurd.
The Khalistan movement, advocating for a separate Sikh state, has seen renewed activity in Canada, with supporters organizing rallies and protests targeting Indian diplomats in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. This movement has repeatedly celebrated the assassination of Indira Gandhi, including similar incidents in previous years.
Khalistan supporters are also believed to be behind two attempted arsons of the San Francisco Indian Consulate, the latest effort in July 2023 first reported by Diya TV that caused a global outcry.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc echoed MacKay’s sentiments, reiterating that promoting violence is unacceptable. LeBlanc had earlier condemned the imagery of Gandhi’s assassination displayed in Vancouver.
The ongoing tensions highlight the broader issue of how Canada handles extremist activities within its borders. Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya has also expressed concerns, noting that Khalistani supporters aim to instill fear among Hindu-Canadians with their provocative actions.
Despite these condemnations, provocative acts by Khalistani supporters continue to challenge the Canada-India relationship. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar previously addressed the issue, criticizing the space given to separatists and extremists in Canada. “I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence,” Jaishankar remarked.