On 26th January, India celebrated its 75th Republic Day with much nationalistic zeal. However, on the same day, the Khalistani elements outside the Indian Consulate on Howe Street in Vancouver, Canada, staged anti-India and anti-Modi protests. As seen in the videos of the protest, several posters reading “Kill Modi”, and “D-Day, Shut Down The Terror House” with pictures of PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron were put up. It is to be noted that the French President was the chief guest for India’s 75th Republic Day.
The Khalistan sympathisers also displayed posters showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar as, “Enemies of Sikhs, Face of Hindu Terror Wanted” and “Wanted-Killers of Shaheed Nijjar”.
Posters with the text “Khalistan Referendum”, “Delhi Banayga Khalistan”, and “Assassination of Shaheed Nijjar, Enemies of Canada” were also seen during the protest in Vancouver.
OpIndia accessed several videos recorded during the anti-India protests in Vancouver in which Khalistani elements were seen giving inciting speeches and used derogatory language for Indian Prime Minister, EAM S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval. Moreover, Indian flags were also disrespected during the protests.
In one such video accessed by OpIndia, anti-India sloganeering can also be heard.
Canada: Khalistan supporters protest outside the Indian embassy in Vancouver on Republic Day pic.twitter.com/aj0tKIErAM
— OpIndia.com (@OpIndia_com) January 27, 2024
It is worth noting that ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, Indian missions in Canada had asked the Canadian authorities to upkeep the security of its diplomatic premises on 26th January due to the threat of protests by pro-Khalistan terrorists. “We have sensitized Canadian authorities about the requirement of safety and security of the Indian High Commission and Consulates,” India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma said.
Pertinently, in June 2023, Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Canada by unknown assailants probably as a result of a gang war. However, in September 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, accused India of being involved in the murder. Following the accusations, Canada also expelled a senior Indian diplomat. India categorically denied any involvement in the murder and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in retaliation. Furthermore, 41 more diplomats were asked to leave the country and warned to strip them of their diplomatic immunity. In October, the diplomats of Canada left India.
Notably, similar anti-India protests and rallies were taken out in the United States and Italy. In San Francisco, a car rally was taken out with Khalistani flags to the Indian Consulate.
Huge Khalistan Car Rally heading Towards the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.
— Shahzad Younas Sheikh (@ShahzadYunasPTI) January 27, 2024
pic.twitter.com/ZaRDQUx5iw
During the protests, posters of slain Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale were also seen.
A similar pro-Khalistan protest was held outside the Indian Consulate in Washington D.C. with posters targeting Indian bureaucrats including Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Prime Minister Modi. In one of the highly outrageous videos of the protest, the Khalistani terrorist put up a garland of slippers on the effigy of PM Modi.
#RepublicDay2024 #गणतंत्र_दिवस
— ਅਰਸ਼ਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ (@ADSingh888) January 27, 2024
🔴 Khalistan Rally in Washington DC, right outside the Ind Consulate. Modi Ji's effigy made a surprise appearance – the "thief" guest of the day
Ks Voting on 28 th Jan 🇺🇸
It will be telecasted LIVE on Politics Punjab yt channel , use Vpn to watch pic.twitter.com/zEEtHrsTBQ
Reportedly, a pro-Khalistan protest was organised in Rome, Italy on 26th January by Khalistani terrorist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Earlier, Pakistani media reports said that Khalistani terrorist Gurpal Singh is planning to organise a Khalistan Freedom Rally in Rome. It was said that Singh was allegedly “warned” by people linked to the Indian High Commissioner there to stop Khalistan Referendum propaganda.
Notably, the Khalistani terrorist has announced to conduct a ‘voting’ in San Francisco on 28th January as part of its farcical ‘Khalistan Referendum’. As per the website of the ‘Punjab Referendum Commission’, the voting in San Francisco, California will take place at Civic Center Plaza, 2 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 (Opposite City Hall).
