On July 8, 2023, pro-Khalistani elements participated in protest rallies against India, claiming that Indian agencies were behind the assassinations of Khalistani terrorists and Sikhs For Justice Leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. These rallies were held in Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia.
During these rallies, the Khalistani elements were seen desecrating the Indian Flag. The videos went viral on social media, where the tricolour was burnt. In one of the videos, a pro-India man was brutally assaulted and attacked by the Khalistanis when he tried to remove the tricolour from the feet of the Khalistani offender.
However, most rallies failed to attract support from the local Khalistanis Several locals and members of the Indian community members came to counter Khalistani attempts by waving the tricolour at the protest sites. Two Khalistanis were detained and arrested by police following violence at the rally in Toronto.
In a detailed video shared by Hindustan Times, a Khalistani, while being detained, could be seen raising pro-Khalistani slogans. In another shot, a pro-India man was seen being taken away by the police while the radical Khalistani elements charged at them. The people from the Indian community raised the national flag to counter the rally and roared Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
A Member of the Indian diaspora called Vijay Jain accused the Liberal Party in Canada for such protests. He said-“this tension that we see in the last few years has gone up. Specifically, I would say that after the Liberal Party has taken charge, We are concerned as we will feel that such activities damage the Indian and Canadian relationships, and we do not want that to happen. We want very strong and healthy India-Canada relationships.”
Similar Incidents were reported in Surrey, where hundreds of Khalistanis gathered at the protest site. Twitter user Jagdeep shared a video. In a video shared by Smita Prakash, the chief editor of ANI, the Khalistanis were seen raising their flag and placing a torn Indian tricolour on the railing. They were beating the flag with shoes and chanted Khalistan Zindabad.
Prakash wrote, “Make your Khalistan in downtown Toronto, filthy chaps desecrating the Indian flag.” Jagdeep shared another video where a Khalistani was giving a speech in Italian while another Khalistani was standing on the Indian flag.
The Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network shared a video from Vancouver where the Khalistanis burnt an Indian flag. Fifty Khalistanis gathered to join the Kill India protest rally. In a third video, a man from the Indian community was brutally thrashed fro trying to save the Indian Flag.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the champion and leader of the banned organisation called Sikhs For Justice, was killed on June 18, 2023, and since then, the Khalistanis have accused Indian agencies of his assassination. He was also associated with another leader and chief Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
After the death of Hardeep Nijjar, several Khalistani leaders, including Gurpatwant Pannun, went into hiding and became underground. There are several rumours that Pannun was killed in a road accident which was later debunked.
Following the accusations and threats to Indian diplomats in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia, the Indian Minister of External Affairs S.Jaishankar and the ministry itself, along with the government of India, have expressed their concerns to its counterparts and asked to take strict action against the Pro-Khalistani elements on their soil and land.
The Justin Trudeau government in Canada, despite several warnings given by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of India, is not serious regarding the matter and have not taken appropriate actions to quell such elements.
