New Delhi: Hindus celebrating Diwali in Canada faced violence and disrespect from pro-Khalistan groups who allegedly pelted stones at them and waved Khalistan flags in Brompton Borough of Quebec province on November 12. The incident has sparked outrage among the Indian community and the Indian government, who have accused the Canadian authorities of being indifferent to the plight of the Hindus and the activities of the Khalistani separatists.
According to sources, the pro-Khalistan groups targeted the Hindus who were lighting diyas and fireworks as part of the Diwali festivities. They hurled stones and abuses at them and tried to disrupt the celebrations. Some of them also tore down the Indian flags and posters that were put up by the Hindus. The sources said that the police did not intervene to stop the attackers and instead dismissed the incident as an “internal community fight” between Hindus and Sikhs.
An Indian government official condemned the attack and said, “The Trudeau administration is a mute spectator to every wrongdoing of the Khalistanis. Attacking Hindus during festivals is really shocking. We will take up this matter through official channels.” The official also expressed concern over the growing influence of the Khalistani organizations in Canada and their attempts to revive the demand for a separate Sikh state in India.
The attack on the Hindus came amid the diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist who was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia, in June. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged that Indian agents were possibly involved in the murder and asked India to cooperate with the investigation. India declared Nijjar a terrorist in 2020 and rejected Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”. In response, India temporarily suspended issuing visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity. India resumed some visa services in Canada last month, more than a month after they were suspended.
Trudeau, who has been accused of pandering to the Khalistani vote bank in Canada, said last week that he did not want a “fight” with India and hoped to resolve the issue through dialogue. He said, “From the very beginning when we became aware of credible allegations that Indian government agents were involved in the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, we contacted India and asked them to work with us to get to the bottom of this matter.”
However, his remarks did not seem to appease the Indian side, who have demanded concrete action from Canada to curb the Khalistani menace and protect the rights and safety of the Hindus and other minorities in the country. India and Canada have a comprehensive strategic partnership that covers various areas of mutual interest, such as trade, investment, education, energy, and security. However, the recent developments have cast a shadow over the bilateral ties and raised questions about the future of the relationship.
