New Delhi/Toronto (AP) - Tensions flared between India and Canada on Monday after the Indian government summoned the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to express strong objections over pro-Khalistan slogans raised at an event attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Toronto.
The incident occurred during celebrations marking Khalsa Day on Sunday, when videos showed sections of the crowd chanting "Khalistan Zindabad" (Long Live Khalistan) as Trudeau and other leaders took to the stage. Khalistan is a proposed homeland for Sikhs that separatists seek to carve out of India.
India's External Affairs Ministry said it conveyed "deep concerns" to the Canadian envoy, stating that allowing such actions goes unchecked and impacts bilateral relations while encouraging extremism and violence.
"Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens," the ministry said in a statement.
The pro-Khalistan chants could be heard getting louder as Trudeau approached the stage, according to videos released by Canadian media outlet CPAC TV. Similar slogans were also raised when Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and others addressed the large gathering in downtown Toronto.
In his speech, Trudeau, whose government had accused India of involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist last year, vowed to protect Sikh rights in Canada and defend the community against hatred.
India has rejected the allegations as "absurd and motivated," accusing Ottawa of harboring Sikh separatists. Diplomatic tensions rose after the claims, with India briefly suspending visa services for Canadians.
The latest incident underscores the persistent strain between the two countries over the Khalistan issue, with New Delhi asserting its "core issue" remains the space given to separatists and anti-India elements in Canada.
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