Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticised the “cowardly makes an attempt to intimidate our diplomats” in a deepening diplomatic row with Canada.
Each nations expelled one another’s high envoys final month after Canadian officials accused India of being involved in violent acts concentrating on Indian dissidents on Canadian soil, one thing the nation denies.
Modi’s feedback got here after violence broke out at a Hindu temple within the Canadian metropolis of Brampton on Sunday, which he has known as a “deliberate assault”.
“Such acts of violence won’t ever weaken India’s resolve. We count on the Canadian authorities to make sure justice and uphold the rule of legislation,” he wrote on X.
Native police mentioned three folks have thus far been arrested and charged over the incident in Brampton, close to Toronto, however didn’t present additional particulars.
The drive mentioned “a number of acts of unlawfulness proceed to be actively investigated” by its officers.
Unverified video posted on-line appeared to point out folks carrying yellow flags of the Khalistan motion – which calls for a separate Sikh homeland in India – clashing with others holding Indian flags.
India’s international ministry mentioned “extremists and separatists” had been behind the violence, calling on the Canadian authorities to “be certain that all locations of worship are protected against such assaults”.
The North America-based activist group Sikhs for Justice, in the meantime, described the incident as an “unprovoked violent assault on peaceable pro-Khalistan demonstrators”.
Justin Trudeau wrote on X that Sunday’s violence was “unacceptable”, including that “each Canadian has the precise to observe their religion freely and safely”.
Relations between India and Canada have soured since Ottawa accused the Indian authorities of being behind the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a naturalised Canadian citizen who’s labelled a terrorist in India.
India has vehemently denied this and different allegations and maintained that Canada has offered no proof to assist its claims.
Mr Nijjar had been a vocal supporter of the Khalistan motion and publicly campaigned for it.
The rift between Canada and India has raised questions over the impression it might have on the deep commerce and immigration ties between each nations.
Bilateral commerce is value billions of {dollars}, and Canada is house to almost 1.7 million folks of Indian origin.
Neither nation has but imposed tariffs or different financial types of retaliation, however consultants warning that this might change, and {that a} cooling relationship between India and Canada might hinder additional financial development.
