Pro-Khalistani float targeting PM Modi in Toronto parade: India lodges protest with Canada
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India registered a strong protest with Canada on Monday over what it described as threatening language and unacceptable imagery targeting its leaders during a parade held in Toronto a day earlier, further straining bilateral ties already marred by past controversies.
Official sources in New Delhi stated that the Indian government conveyed its concerns to the Canadian High Commission, objecting to the pro-Khalistan propaganda and visual depictions aimed at Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to The Indian Express.
The controversial parade reportedly featured floats carrying separatist slogans and images that not only attacked India’s leadership but also stoked tensions among Indian-origin communities in Canada.
The Indian authorities urged their Canadian counterparts to take decisive action against anti-India elements who are believed to be spreading hatred and promoting extremist and separatist agendas from Canadian soil.
This development comes close on the heels of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s electoral victory, which marked a significant political turnaround for the Liberal Party in a vote viewed by many as a public rejection of former US President Donald Trump’s brand of politics.
While Prime Minister Modi had extended his congratulations to Carney and expressed hope for stronger India-Canada cooperation, the latest incident appears to have cast a shadow on those diplomatic overtures.
Ties between the two countries have remained fragile since 2023, when then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an allegation New Delhi vehemently denied and labelled as baseless.
The diplomatic fallout from that episode led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from both sides, creating an atmosphere of mistrust and limiting engagement on several bilateral fronts.