On Sunday, India summoned Canada’s High Commissioner to express serious concerns about Sikh protesters who breached the security of India’s diplomatic mission and consulates in Canada.
According to Canadian media reports, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Indian consulate in Vancouver on Saturday demanding an independent Sikh state, which has been a longstanding issue for decades. Canada is home to the largest Sikh population outside of India’s Punjab state.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs released a statement urging the Canadian government to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of their diplomats and diplomatic premises.
This statement comes after Indian police launched a hunt for Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who has been advocating for an independent Sikh homeland, potentially reigniting violent tensions that claimed tens of thousands of lives in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Additionally, Indian police have initiated an investigation into a protest in London, where protesters displayed “Khalistan” banners and removed the Indian flag from a balcony of the High Commission, denouncing recent police activity in Punjab.
India has also summoned the top British diplomat in New Delhi to provide an explanation. “Khalistan” refers to the proposed independent Sikh homeland that some members of the Sikh community aspire to, both in India and countries where Sikhs have settled.
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