Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed B次元官网网址渟trong concernsB次元官网网址� over CanadaB次元官网网址檚 handling of the Punjabi independence movement among the overseas diaspora, on the same day thousands in Metro VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Sikh community gathered to vote on the matter.
A statement released by IndiaB次元官网网址檚 Ministry of External Affairs said Modi told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of this weekendB次元官网网址檚 G20 summit in New Delhi that progress in the two countriesB次元官网网址� relationship required B次元官网网址渕utual respect and trust.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚ndia-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties,B次元官网网址� the Indian government statement said. B次元官网网址�(Modi) conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.B次元官网网址�
The statement described the Sikh movement as B次元官网网址減romoting secessionism and inciting violenceB次元官网网址� against Indian diplomats. It called on Canada to work with India on what New Delhi said is a threat to the Canadian Indian diaspora.
The meeting between Modi and Trudeau coincided with voting in British Columbia on a non-binding referendum for a Sikh homeland that supporters call Khalistan.
Large crowds of voters lined up to vote at SurreyB次元官网网址檚 Guru Nanak Gurdwara on Sunday, after the Surrey School District cancelled organizersB次元官网网址� original plans to rent a local high school for the vote, which is part of an international campaign.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel for the referendumB次元官网网址檚 organizers, said Monday the attendance numbers were so large that B次元官网网址渢housandsB次元官网网址� were not able to vote, and a second phase of voting is now scheduled for Oct. 29.
Pannun said the turnout is a B次元官网网址渃lear messageB次元官网网址� that activists are committed to a B次元官网网址減eaceful and democraticB次元官网网址� process for the groupB次元官网网址檚 goal of seeking Punjabi independence from India.
B次元官网网址淭housands and thousands (of) Sikhs got together (at) 7 oB次元官网网址檆lock in the morning and peacefully dispersed after the voting,B次元官网网址� Pannun said. B次元官网网址淭hat should be a clear signal even to the Canadians that we follow the laws of the land, and Khalistan is a peaceful and democratic movement B次元官网网址� and the Indigenous people of the Punjab should have the right to do an official referendum.B次元官网网址�
Organizers have held votes in the Vancouver and Toronto areas, and are preparing for additional referendums in Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal, as well as other parts of Canada, the United States and other countries, Pannun said.
The goal, he said, is to gather all overseas votes by 2025 and present the case to the United Nations for an official referendum on Punjabi independence from India.
Tensions around Sikh independence movements and Canada-India ties escalated in June after Guru Nanak Gurdwara president Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead while in his vehicle at the templeB次元官网网址檚 parking lot.
Activists organized a protest later that month outside the Indian consulate generalB次元官网网址檚 office in Vancouver, accusing the country of B次元官网网址渇oreign interferenceB次元官网网址� for possible links to the death.
Police say NijjarB次元官网网址檚 death has not been connected to foreign interference, and thereB次元官网网址檚 no reason to believe CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Sikh community is at risk.
However, some activists have called on supporters in Canada to B次元官网网址渂esiegeB次元官网网址� IndiaB次元官网网址檚 diplomatic missions, offering cash rewards for the home addresses of its diplomats.
IndiaB次元官网网址檚 High Commissioner in Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, recently said the concern from Indian diplomats about their safety has been B次元官网网址渨ell understoodB次元官网网址� by Canada in its response to a request for better protection.
B次元官网网址淭here have been posters where I am called an assassin,B次元官网网址� Verma told The Canadian Press.
B次元官网网址淚f a reward is put on my head, doesnB次元官网网址檛 it restrict my movement? So, where is my freedom to move freely in this country?B次元官网网址�
Verma said, however, that Canada is adequately protecting his countryB次元官网网址檚 diplomats, and closer ties are possible despite heated diaspora politics.
Canada and India last month paused ongoing talks for a bilateral trade deal, and negotiations have been on and off since 2010.
The Indian governmentB次元官网网址檚 statement about ModiB次元官网网址檚 meeting with Trudeau said it believes the Punjabi independence movement is involved in B次元官网网址渄amaging diplomatic premises and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well,B次元官网网址� Modi reportedly told Trudeau, the statement said.
Sikh vote organizers say they have been unfairly portrayed by India, saying their referendum poster B次元官网网址� showing a pen stabbing a gun representing the Indian government B次元官网网址� is a pro-peace, pro-democracy image showing the groupB次元官网网址檚 commitment to voting and non-violent actions.
The same poster was one of the key reasons cited by the Surrey School District in its decision to cancel vote organizersB次元官网网址� planned rental of a school for the vote.
In a statement, the school district said it cancelled the rental of Tamanawis Secondary a week before the event because promotional posters featured images of a weapon alongside the school building.
The district says its decision is neither an endorsement nor a criticism of the movement and refunds will be issued, but organizers said they intend to pursue legal action for what they call a B次元官网网址渂reach of contractB次元官网网址� and a violation of Charter rights on freedom of expression.
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