On June 10 (local time), Brampton’s mayor said in a statement that the tableau depicting the assassination of former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, during a procession on the 39th anniversary of Operation Blue Star was not a “hate crime”. The law enforcement of Canada said they have ruled out any “hate crime” in the display.
Brampton’s mayor rejected the accusations and claimed the tableau did not constitute a hate crime. He said, “Police have looked at the video, and it’s their determination it does not constitute a hate crime.” He added that Canadians have the freedom of thought, belief, and expression under Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His statement read, “Any decision to change Section 2 would be at the federal level. Police enforce laws. They don’t write them.”
The reaction came days after the Indian government expressed its displeasure over giving space to elements promoting violence in the country. The controversial tableau was displayed on June 4. Other tableaux at the event displayed scenes referring to the anti-Sikh riots following Gandhi’s assassination.
Following the event, India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar expressed displeasure over the displays and said, “It is not good for relationships between the two countries”.
He said, “I think there is a bigger issue involved. Frankly, we are at a loss to understand other than the requirements of vote bank politics why anybody would do this…I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence. I think it is not good for relationships, not good for Canada.”
Canadian high commissioner in India, Cameron MacKay, also expressed his concerns saying, “There is no place for hate in Canada or for the glorification of violence”.
Canada’s foreign ministry refused to comment further on the matter and said they do not have anything to add to MaKay’s tweet from June 5. In his tweet, MacKay said, “I am appalled by reports of an event in Canada that celebrated the assassination of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. There is no place in Canada for hate or for the glorification of violence. I categorically condemn these activities.”
Indo-Canadian organisations also expressed displeasure with the tableau. Canada India Foundation’s Satish Thakkar said that the event “Celebrated an act of terrorism against the democratically elected leader of a country that has been the place of origin for nearly two million law-abiding Indo-Canadians”.
Controversial tableau at Operation Blue Star anniversary
On June 4, in the Canadian city of Brampton, the pro-Khalistani elements featured a tableau glorifying the assassination of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. The tableau was a part of the annual Sikh Martyrdom Parade which saw the participation of a large number of people in the city where the largest number of Sikhs live in Canada.
The video of the tableau has gone viral over the internet in which Indira Gandhi is shown being assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. The tableau also displays Khalistani flags and a poster reading, “Revenge of the attack on Shri Darbar Sahib.” Another poster that the tableau carried read, “Never Forget 1984. Sikh Genocide.”
Pro-Khalistani elements in Canada
Canada has been long infested with Khalistani elements. The relationship between India and Canada has taken hit due to the inaction of Canadian authorities against the pro-Khalistani elements. Khalistani sympathisers in Canada, like Jagmeet Singh, repeatedly propagated the Khalistani agenda and spoke against India on several occasions.