Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar conveyed on Friday there was a “climate of rage” and an “atmosphere of intimidation” passionately in opposition to the Indian diplomats in Canada, where the existence of Sikh separatist parties has caused furiousness and irritation to New Delhi. “Due to the rule of freedom of speech, to create threats and intimidate diplomats, I don’t think that’s understandable,” Jaishankar told reporters on Friday evening in Washington. Rapport between India and Canada have been ruined recently , mostly due to the presence of Sikh separatists in Canada who have kept enlivened the movement for Khalistan, or the claim for a sovereign Sikh state to be pulled out of India.
Canada’s foreign ministry did not at the spot make a remark. Earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents may have had a role in the June murder of Sikh separatist leader and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was labeled a “terrorist” by India. New Delhi dismissed the allegations as meaningless. Washington has appealed India to cooperate with Canada in the murder probe. In 2018, Trudeau assured India that Canada would not be in favor to anyone attempting to enliven a separatist movement in India, while repeatedly saying that he respects the right to free speech and assembly of protesters to demonstrate. Canada is the place where influential Sikh community resides, and Indian governers have an opinion that some fringe parties there remain sympathetic to the cause of an independent Sikh state.