The local law enforcement personnel had to push back the protestors in order to prevent them from disrupting the event

Alberta: Khalistani sympathisers in Canada raised anti-India slogans while the Indian Ambassador to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma attended an event organised by the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) in Edmonton on March 11.

The local law enforcement personnel had to push back the protestors in order to prevent them from disrupting the event. The protestors had gathered with daggers, swords, and spears, gathered in Edmonton, Alberta to protest against India's high commissioner to Canada. Reports suggest that the banned organisation Sikh For Justice (SFJ) had called for the protest.

The protests took as place outside the Evario Events Centre as the Indian ambassador attended the ICCC event along with 200 invitees, among them was Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, a former Cabinet minister in the first government formed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015.

The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the Canadian town of Surrey in June. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020. Since then, the Khalistan movement has gained much pace in Canada with SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun calling upon the sympathisers to protest against Verma.

(With Agency Inputs)