India protests mock trial of PM Modi in Canada

New Delhi: After Justin Trudeau’s government allowed the Khalistani Sikhs in Vancouver to stage a mock trial of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the killing of fugitive extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, New Delhi lodged a protest with Ottawa on Thursday, noting that the radicals were being given space in Canada.

The Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India conveyed its displeasure to the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi.

New Delhi asked Ottawa to stop providing a haven and political space for criminals and secessionist elements campaigning against India in Canada.

The House of Commons – the lower House of the bicameral Parliament of Canada – on Tuesday observed a moment of silence on the first death anniversary of Khalistani Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was wanted in several cases in India, including the ones involving murder, terrorist activities, and sedition, and who was killed at the parking lot of a gurdwara in Surrey in the British Columbia province of Canada on June 18 last year.

Some Khalistani Sikh radicals on Tuesday also assembled in front of the Consulate General of India in Vancouver.

They held a mock trial for the killing of Nijjar, with an effigy of Modi dressed in prison stripes inside a makeshift cage and actors playing roles of a jury and a judge.

New Delhi on Thursday conveyed to Ottawa its deep concern about the security of the officials working at India’s diplomatic and consular missions in Canada.

New Delhi’s relations with Ottawa nosedived after Trudeau on September 18 last year told the House of Commons that his government’s security agencies had been actively pursuing the ‘credible allegations’ about ‘a potential link’ between the agents of the Government of India and the killing of Nijjar in Canada. New Delhi dismissed Ottawa’s allegation, calling it ‘absurd’, ‘motivated’, and ‘unsubstantiated’.

New Delhi pointed out to the Trudeau Government that people accused of being involved with organised crimes with links to India have been allowed entry and residency in Canada.