The Canadian government has expressed its commitment to ensuring the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada after a video circulating online appeared to threaten them.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Public Safety Canada stated that law enforcement is actively involved following the circulation of an online video containing threats against Indian diplomatic officials. The department did not provide further details.
Queries regarding the video were directed to the RCMP, but they declined to confirm whether a criminal investigation has been initiated or specify the exact video involved.
A group of Canadian Sikhs advocating for the secession of a region in India has alleged that New Delhi was involved in the death of a preacher near Vancouver in June. However, the police have stated that they have no evidence linking the Indian government to the incident.
Last month, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly condemned posters accusing senior Indian diplomats of being “killers,” stating that such accusations are unacceptable.
This issue has strained diplomatic relations between Canada and India as both countries are in the process of negotiating a potential trade agreement. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to visit New Delhi next month.
The Indian high commission in Ottawa has not yet provided a comment regarding the recent threat.
Although the Canadian government has not specified the specific video that it finds threatening to Indian diplomats, a video posted by the group Sikhs for Justice on July 21 called for people to “besiege” India’s diplomatic missions in Canada. The video accuses Indian diplomats of being responsible for violence against those seeking a separate state and features a tank labeled “Kill India” destroying a graphic of India’s borders. The video has been removed from YouTube for violating the platform’s terms of service.
Previously, Indian media had reported that the high commission in Ottawa had formally requested increased protection for its senior diplomats from the Canadian government, such as escorts.
New Delhi has long accused Canada of harboring extremists advocating for the creation of Khalistan, a state within India. Ottawa has maintained that freedom of speech allows groups to express their political opinions as long as they do not incite violence.
In June, both Canadian and Indian officials denounced a parade float in Brampton, Ontario that depicted the 1984 assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. While the organizers claimed that the float was intended to commemorate martyrs and acknowledge the violent history of India, officials argued that it glorified violence.
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