“The politically-motivated exercise of the holding of a referendum by extremist Khalistan elements in a friendly country, was “deeply objectionable”
— Arindam Bagchi, Indian Foreign Office spokesperson
Indian External Affairs Ministry has commented on the separatist anti-India activity going on in Canada. In one of its sharpest comments, the Indian Foreign Office spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the politically-motivated exercise of the holding of a referendum by extremist Khalistan elements in a friendly country, was “deeply objectionable”.
“You are all aware of the history of violence in this regard,” said Bagchi on September 22 while describing the so-called Khalistan referendum as a “farcical exercise held by extremists and radical elements”.
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Canada had said its citizens had the right to assemble and to express their views peacefully and lawfully.
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Unhappy with the Canadian response, India has decided to continue to press the Government of Canada for action in this matter
The MEA’s response came after three diplomatic messages from the South Block saw little action by the Canadian government to stop the so-called “referendum” in Canada’s Brampton on September 19 asking whether the Indian state of Punjab should not be a separate country.
Canada had said its citizens had the right to assemble and to express their views peacefully and lawfully. The Canada Government has also said it respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and that they will not recognise the so-called referendum.
However, the Ministry of External Affairs was unhappy with the Canadian response and said that “the Government of India will continue to press the Government of Canada for action in this matter”.
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