Indians in Canada Face Threats From Khalistani Groups Indian Govt Raises Issue
Mr Justin Trudeau the Canadian Prime Minister had recently requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for COVID-19 vaccines from India. Modi had assured him that India would do its best to support Canada’s vaccination efforts, just as it had done for many other countries already. Trudeau in the call for help had said that if the world managed to conquer COVID-19, it would be significantly because of India’s tremendous pharmaceutical capacity, and Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in sharing this capacity with the World.
However in spite of India ever ready to help, the Indian Diaspora in Canada is facing threats from Khalistani separatist groups across Canada, as per a letter written by National Alliance of Indo-Canadians (NAIC) to Canadian Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Bill Blair. The letter requests the Canadian government to act at the federal level against this coordinated attack on Canadian Hindus and moderate Sikhs.
“There have been multiple reports of Indo-Canadians, who are critical of the arguments against the laws or remain committed to improving and strengthening relations between the land of their heritage, India, and the land that has adopted them, Canada, being intimidated online, threatened with violence including rape of women their families, and this has escalated to certain elements even gathering at the residences and offices of individual Canadian citizens,” the letter alleges.
The letter further states that ‘reports of such instances and incidents have come from the Greater Toronto Area, Metro Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Unfortunately, separatist elements seeking to create ‘Khalistan’ have infiltrated farmers’ protest in India and are engaged in the anti-legislation agitations in Canada, and the attacks on Indo-Canadians has taken a sectarian turn’.
Dr. Azad Kaushik, President of the National Alliance of Indo Canadians (NAIC), had confirmed the threats faced by Indian diaspora in Canada and urged authorities to act in an urgent manner. He has also termed unfortunate the tacit support by Canadian politicians to the farmers’ agitation in India.
CNN-News18 has also accessed several videos and audios of threat and intimidation faced by Indian diaspora in Canada with use of profanity and physical violence.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has taken note of the threats faced by the Indian Diaspora in Canada and written to the Indian diaspora leaders and elders of the communities.
CNN-News18 has accessed an email written by Indian envoy to Canada Ajay Bisaria on February 15, assuring help to the Indian diaspora and taking note of the threats faced by them.
“We are also concerned at reports that Indian citizen and friends of India who have expressed their views in support of the farm reforms in India have been targeted and subjected to intimidation, threats of violence and calls to boycott or disrupt their business,” the letter from the High Commissioner reads.
“We request you to convey to the community that in the event that any Indian national is subjected to any such threats of violence or intimidation, they should report the matter, with all details to the local police, and also bring it to our immediate attention. We have already taken up the issue of ensuring the safety of all Indian citizen in Canada, including students from India, with Canadian authorities,” the letter further states.
High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria has requested Indian Diaspora leaders to support community members in case such threats are made to persons who are not Indian citizen. “You may urge them to immediately approach Canadian authorities and the local police and seek the protection of anti-hate laws in Canada. They should be urged to share such instances with Indian community organizations so that such organisations can bring such instance to the notice of Canadian authorities and leadership,” he writes in the letter.
