New Delhi: Fresh trouble has hit India-Canada ties with New Delhi lodging a protest with the Canadian High Commission following threatening statements from Sikh separatists calling for Indo-Canadians to be removed from the North American country, and threats against Indian leaders during a Khalsa Day parade in Toronto.
A speech by one attendee at the parade Sunday targeted “8 lakh” Indians living in Canada, asking them to be removed from the country, while floats targeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar were also seen at the parade. The parade, according to videos and images being circulated, reportedly had pro-Pakistan and pro-Sikh separatist propaganda as well.
“We have conveyed our concerns in the strongest terms to the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi regarding the parade held in Toronto where unacceptable imagery and threatening language were used against our leadership, and Indian citizens residing in Canada,” sources in the government said.
New Delhi called on Canadian authorities to “act against anti-India elements who spread hatred and advocate extremism and a separatist agenda”. The protest by India against the space given to Sikh separatists in Canada comes at a time when New Delhi and Ottawa are looking at ways to reset ties that have sunk to their lowest point in recent years.
Mark Carney led the Liberal Party to victory at the Canadian federal election last week, which potentially opened the doors for a thaw in ties between the two countries following the resignation of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in January of this year.
Trudeau, in September 2023, accused agents of the Indian government of being linked to the killing of the Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. An Indian designated terrorist, Nijjar was gunned down outside a gurdwara in June 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia.
New Delhi rejected the allegations as “absurd and motivated”. In October 2024, India withdrew its High Commissioner to Canada and five other diplomats, following a request from Ottawa to waive their diplomatic immunity as a part of their investigations into Nijjar’s killing.
Subsequently, New Delhi expelled six Canadian diplomats, including the Acting High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner.
India accused Trudeau of pandering to “vote bank” politics in his refusal to take any concrete action to deal with Sikh separatists and went so far as to declare the country a safe haven for terrorists.
As reported by ThePrint earlier, India is likely to appoint a new High Commissioner to Ottawa soon, given Carney’s victory.
However, a number of challenges remain, especially around the issue of the space given to Sikh separatists in Canada.
India had lodged a protest against the pro-Sikh separatism slogans shouted during last year’s Khalsa Day parade as well. Trudeau had addressed the crowd amid chants of “Khalistan Zindabad”. A raft of political leaders addressed the gathering last year, including Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre.
The speech at this year’s Khalsa Day parade in Toronto has outraged the Hindu community in Canada. The Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce “condemned” the demand for 8,00,000 Hindus to leave Canada in a statement Sunday.
“There are 800,000 Hindus and over 1.86 million Indo-Canadians in Canada. The call at today’s Nagar Kirtans in Malton & Etobicoke clearly targeted Hindus. History teaches us that calls for mass expulsion leads to unthinkable acts. This dangerous rhetoric must be denounced by all leaders,” the CHCC said in its statement on the social media platform X.
CHCC condemns the call at today’s Nagar Kirtan in Malton & Etobicoke demanding 800,000 Hindus leave Canada.
There are 800,000 Hindus and over 1.86 million Indo-Canadians in Canada. The call at today's Nagar Kirtans in Malton & Etobicoke clearly targeted Hindus.
History… pic.twitter.com/nA9LOysIJ5
— Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce (@chcconline) May 4, 2025
The Hindu Canadian Foundation (HCF) said in a statement on X that the “silence of many political leaders” in response to the remarks “must be recognised as implicit consent”.
“It is the duty of all MPs and MPPs, across party lines, to take a stand against this divisiveness and reaffirm Canada’s commitment to religious harmony and inclusivity. A civilised society cannot tolerate hate-mongering and attempts to fracture our diverse communities,” the HCF said.
Hindu Canadian Foundation strongly condemns the recent call By KHALISTANI EXTREMISTS to send back 800,000 Hindus to India during the Malton & Etobicoke Nagar Kirtan. Such statements foster division and spread hate against the Hindu Canadians . The Nagar Kirtan is meant to unite… pic.twitter.com/sirNUIFFzs
— Hindu Canadian Foundation (HCF) (@officialHinduCF) May 5, 2025
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
Also read: With Mark Carney’s win, India looks to reset ties, will appoint envoy to Canada ‘soon’