India also urge Canada to designate as terrorists under its laws those individuals and entities who have been declared as terrorists under Indian laws
New Delhi: India has reiterated its concern over certain forces planning a so-called referendum on Khalistan in Canada and urged that country to prevent anti-India activities by individuals and groups based there, a PTI report in The Tribune, Chandigarh, says.
It also called upon Canada to designate as terrorists under its laws those individuals declared as terrorists under Indian laws.
Asked about the so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada, Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “I think we have made our position clear a couple of times. Our position on the efforts by anti-India elements to hold a so-called Khalistan referendum is well known. It has been conveyed to the Canadian government both in New Delhi and in Canada.”
The government of Canada has conveyed that it respects India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and will not recognise the so-called referendum,
“The Canadian high commissioner here and their deputy foreign minister reiterated this perspective earlier this week in separate statements. However, let me also reiterate what we said earlier, which is that we find it deeply objectionable that politically-motivated exercises by extremist elements are allowed to take place in a friendly country, and you are all aware of the history of violence in this regard,” Bagchi added.
The Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has proposed the so-called referendum in Mississauga, near Toronto, on November 6.
The government of Canada has conveyed that it respects India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and will not recognise the so-called referendum,
The Ministry of External had made the Government of India’s position very clear in this matter as such exercises in the past had led to violence.
The government had served a demarche on Canada on October 9, asking it to stop the referendum on November 6 to be held in Ontario.
Though Indians are immigrating to Canada at a rate of over one lakh per year and the numbers are set to go up, ties between India and Canada have been troubled over the activities of separatists.
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