Friction in India-Canada relations in 2022 arose due to the Khalistan referendum held in Sep and Nov as pro-Khalistan and pro-India supporters clashed in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), media reports said.
Calling the referendum a “farcical exercise held by extremists and radical elements” India asked Canada for “action in this matter.”
A rare travel advisory was issued in New Delhi urging travelers to Canada to be cautious about the possibility of anti-India violence in Canada.
Canada said that although it supports India’s integrity, it won’t stop the referendum as its citizens were free to protest.
“Though one can agree with Canada’s stand that it cannot stifle free expression, the fact remains that Khalistani activities are a direct interference in India’s internal affairs because most pro-Khalistani elements are now Canadian citizens with Canadian passports. For India, they are foreigners and Canada must rein in them,” said a Brampton-based Indo-Canadian leader, requesting anonymity, according to media reports.
Although Ujjal Dosanjh, a top Indo-Canadian politician, and former Canadian health minister, thinks that the Khalistan movement is virtually dead, there are still some elements in Canada that are trying to keep it alive with the support of Pakistan.
“India is too sensitive about what happens in the diaspora. By making high-level statements, it is actually infusing life into a dying movement. This is what Khalistani elements want,” Dosanjh was reported to say
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