Freedom being misused: Jaishankar on Khalistani activity in Canada

A fortnight after India reacted sharply to the “so-called Khalistan referendum” in Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday emphasized the need to ensure that freedoms in a democratic society are not misused by forces that advocate “violence” and “bigotry”.

At a press conference with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Ottawa, Jaishankar said, “From time to time, we have engaged the Canadian government, I have myself engaged with my counterpart on this (Khalistani) issue. And we have flagged the need to ensure that freedoms in a democratic society are not misused by forces which actually advocate violence and, and bigotry.”

“So it’s important, I think, to understand really, how democracies should function not only at home but also the responsibility that democracies have to other democracies abroad,” he was quoted by PTI as saying. He made the comments during a press meeting after the 13th Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue.

Notably, India served a demarche to the Justin Trudeau government last week, asking it to stop the so-called Khalistan referendum organised by a proscribed organisation in Ontario on November 6 as it challenges the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India, according to Hindustan Times. The demarche was served to a senior official of the Canadian High Commission by a senior Ministry of External Affairs official and India’s strong concern will be also conveyed by the Indian Embassy in Ottawa to Global Affairs, Canada this week.

More than 100,000 Canadian Sikhs on 19 September had gathered in Ontario to vote in the Khalistan Referendum which has triggered a sharp reaction in India with the foreign office calling the move “deeply objectionable”. The event was reportedly organised by Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

Clarification on travel advisory

After India issued a travel advisory on September 23 wherein it asked Indian citizens in Canada to exercise caution due to increased cases of hate attacks, Jaishankar clarified, “I want to be very clear here. When we issue travel advisories. We issue travel advice as a travel mission for the sake of the security and safety of our citizens. So I would urge you not to read something into a travel advisory, which is beyond the advisory.” “What some other country does presumably reflects their thinking and their policies,” he said, downplaying any tit-for-tat response from Ottawa to New Delhi’s recent travel advisory, according to PTI.

It is to be noted that a Hindu temple was attacked last month in Toronto allegedly by a Khalistani group. The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Toronto was defaced by “Canadian Khalistani extremists” with anti-India graffiti in an apparent hate crime, as per media reports. Following the incident, Chandra Arya, MP from Nepean in Ontario, urged “all levels of the government to note this and take remedial actions now”. He stressed that “Hindu-Canadians are legitimately concerned about rising Hinduphobia in Canada”. “The increasingly vocal and well-organised anti-India and anti-Hindu groups in Canada have resulted in increasing anti-Hindu sentiments,” he added.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM