Amid the heightened tensions between India and Canada, a Khalistani group Sikh for Justice has called for protests outside the Indian embassies in Canadian cities on Monday, said a report by news agency Reuters.
A week ago, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged had New Delhi's “potential link” to the murder of a Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.
Reuters quoted Jatinder Singh Grewal, a director for Sikh for Justice in Canada, as saying on Sunday that his organisation will lead the protests outside the Indian embassies and consulates in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver over Nijjar's killing.
“We are asking Canada to expel the Indian ambassador,” Grewal also told Reuters.
India has rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”.
Both the countries had expelled diplomats, and New Delhi suspended visas for Canadians.
Nijjar, a Canadian national, was shot dead outside a gurdwara on June 18 in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a high Sikh population.
In 2020, India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist. He had left Punjab a quarter-century ago and became a Canadian citizen.
Last week, Trudeau had said that Canada was pursuing “credible allegations” that Indian government agents may be linked to the killing of Nijjar.
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The Trudeau government has amassed both human and signals intelligence in an investigation into Nijjar’s murder, CBC News had reported last week, citing unidentified sources.
Over 770,000 Sikhs live in Canada.
In India, Sikhs make up just 2% of total population of 1.4 billion.
On Sunday, Chandra Arya, the lawmaker from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s party, slammed his own government for being responsible for inaction against Khalistani extremists. He also asserted that Hindu Canadians were fearful after threats issued by extremists.
The Liberal party MP has repeatedly raised the issue of threats to Hindu Canadians and urged the community to stay calm and vigilant. His comments came after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and other extremists had issued threats to the Hindu community in Canada.
(With inputs from agencies)
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