India summoned the Canadian ambassador in New Delhi to express its displeasure after Indian media claimed that posters made for protests in those countries and Britain by a Sikh group’s followers also targeted Indian diplomats, a foreign ministry official said.
Both in New Delhi and Ottawa, the issue has been vigorously brought up with Canadian officials, according to Arindam Bagchi.
“Posters calling for violence against diplomats and our diplomatic facilities are unacceptable, and we condemn them in the strongest terms possible.”
According to media reports, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that India was “wrong” to assume he was soft on the demonstrators. However, he said, “We will always make sure that we are pushing back against violence and extremism in all its forms.” He acknowledged that there is freedom of expression.
According to Bagchi, the problem is unrelated to the right to free speech. However, it is misapplied to support terrorism, secession, and violent advocacy.
Bagchi added that New Delhi had discussed with Washington the earlier this week vandalism at the Indian embassy in San Francisco, which the US had denounced. He said that “very senior levels” promptly responded to India.
Following media reports about a billboard advertising a protest for advocates of a separate state for the Sikh minority, the British foreign minister James Cleverly issued a warning against any attacks against the Indian High Commission in London.
On Thursday, Cleverly said on Twitter that “any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in London are completely unacceptable.”
The image was being promoted on Twitter for a demonstration on July 8 for “Khalistan,” a name made up by advocates of an independent Sikh state that doesn’t exist, Indian media reported earlier on Thursday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Britain to intervene after a violent incident occurred during Sikh separatist rallies in front of India’s embassy in London in March.
