People protest against Trudeau outside High Commission over Khalistan issue

Members of the Grameen Vikas Samiti held a protest outside the High Commission of Canada here to register their resentment against the Canadian government and against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for not objecting to a tableau parade in Ontario celebrating the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi.

A group of people gathered outside the High Commission of Canada and raised slogans against Justin Trudeau and his government. They also sloganeered against the Khalistani elements allegedly being given protection by the Canadian government.

The protestors were seen holding posters boycotting Trudeau and condemning the Khalistani activities in Canada.

Pradhan of Gramin Vikas Samiti, Bacchu Singh, who led the protest told ANI that they collected here to protest against those demanding for Khalistan.

"We will not allow India to be divided. There are some politicians in Canada who making attempts to divide Indians but we will not let it happen. We are boycotting the Canadian PM because he has extended his support to those citizens raising demands of Khalistan. If they continue to make some demands, we will prove to them their intentions will not come true," Singh added.

Another protestor, Shahid Lodhi told ANI, "Our demand is... Justin, who is misleading the citizens, urging them to raise demands for a Khalistan...but we will not that happen as people have become aware now."

Earlier the issue of the parade float in Canada was also condemned by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The EAM while expressing his concern said there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists and "it is not good for relationships".

Answering queries during a press conference, held earlier on nine years of Modi government, Jaishankar slammed Canada over the incident and said giving space to extremists is not good for the country.

"I think there is a bigger issue involved...Frankly, we are at a loss to understand other than the requirements of vote bank politics why anybody would do this...I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence. I think it is not good for relationships, not good for Canada," Jaishankar said, adding it isn't only incident in Canada "however egregious it may be".

Earlier, the issue was also addressed by MoS MEA Meenakashi Lekhi, who while hitting out at the Canadian government, said that an offence cannot be celebrated, adding any assassination or murder is a crime in any democratic governance and the government of Canada must act against it.

She further said that all that is happening in Canada falls within the purview of law and order and the Government must act upon it.

"Any assassination or murder is a crime in any democratic governance. So, something which is an offence cannot be celebrated and thus all that is happening in Canada falls within the purview of law and order and the government must act upon it," the minister said speaking to ANI earlier.

Indira Gandhi served as the first and only woman Prime Minister of India from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984. She was shot dead by two of her own bodyguards at her official residence on October 31, 1984.

A video shot at a parade in Canada's Brampton city on earlier this year on June 4 celebrated the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Khalistan supporters in March, protested outside the Indian Embassy in Canada. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans and allegedly assaulted Indian-origin journalists present on the spot.