In a forceful diplomatic move, India officially protested to the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi today following a controversial procession in Toronto organized by pro-Khalistan activists. The march, which featured inflammatory slogans and graphic displays targeting India’s top leadership, has reignited tensions between the two nations.
According to sources within the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Indian officials summoned representatives of the Canadian diplomatic mission to convey “grave concerns” over the event. A decorated truck at the forefront of the parade carried a mock jail cell containing life-sized effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Banners accompanying the display demanded the mass deportation of eight lakh Indians from Canada — a demand that New Delhi termed both “unacceptable” and “threatening.”
“We have conveyed our concerns in the strongest terms,” MEA insiders said, stressing that the imagery and rhetoric employed go beyond the pale of lawful dissent. The statement added that India once again called on Canadian authorities to crack down on extremist and separatist elements “who spread hatred and seek to undermine the sovereignty and integrity of our nation.”
The Toronto incident follows an earlier, smaller-scale protest at the Malton Gurdwara, which also drew condemnation after a video clip circulated widely on social media. Indian community leaders in Canada condemned both rallies, pointing out a disturbing escalation: pro-Khalistan graffiti was recently scrawled on a Sikh gurdwara and a Hindu temple, further stoking communal anxieties.
Observers note that the latest flare-up comes on the heels of Canada’s federal elections, in which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party secured another term. Many in New Delhi had hoped that the electoral outcome might usher in a thaw and improved bilateral cooperation. Instead, the parade’s chilling calls for forced repatriation and the portrayal of India’s democratically elected officials as criminals have cast a shadow over diplomatic relations.
This is not the first time such extremist imagery has surfaced at high-profile Canadian gatherings. Earlier this year at Surrey’s Khalsa Day Baisakhi Parade, participants were seen carrying Khalistan flags alongside “wanted” posters featuring PM Modi and Home Minister Shah — displays that drew sharp rebukes from both New Delhi and Canadian Sikh community organizations.
As Delhi presses Ottawa to take decisive action, diplomatic channels remain on high alert. India’s formal protest underscores the government’s resolve to protect its citizens and leaders from what it views as a coordinated campaign of hatred abroad. Canadian authorities, for their part, face mounting pressure to balance the principles of free expression with the imperative to curb hate speech and separatist agitation.
