New Delhi: India has lodged a strong protest with Canada over the incident of Khalistan elements' attack on the Indian community in the country earlier this week. India summoned the High Commissioner of Canada on Saturday to register its anguish.
In the official release of the Ministry of External Affairs, the government said, “The High Commissioner of Canada was summoned yesterday to convey our strong concern about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against our diplomatic Mission and Consulates in Canada this week.”
Indian sought an explanation on ‘how such elements were allowed, in the presence of police, to breach the security of our diplomatic Mission and Consulates’.
“The Government of Canada was reminded of its obligations under the Vienna Convention, and asked to arrest and prosecute the individuals who have already been identified as being involved in such acts,” the statement further read.
Highlighting India’s expectations of strong action against those involved, the statement said, “It is expected that the Canadian Government will take all steps which are required to ensure the safety of our diplomats and security of our diplomatic premises so that they are able to fulfill their normal diplomatic functions.”
This came after Khalistani sympathisers attacked Indian Community in the Canadian city of Surrey in British Columbia. The members were going for an event which later cancelled following strong protests and attacks by the Khalistani supporters’ mob.
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Likewise, on Friday, the MEA said India was not interested in just assurances and would like to see action against those who attacked the Indian consulate in San Francisco and the Indian mission in London.
In his weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India had strongly taken up the vandalisation incidents with the US and UK governments.
"At least in London & San Francisco, we have strongly taken up the matter of vandalisation. You would have also seen the statements that we have put out in this regard. We expect that host governments will take action to identify and prosecute all those involved and also take necessary actions to prevent the recurrence of such incidents," ANI quoted Bagchi as saying.
"We hope host govternments provide full and adequate protection to our missions and to the personnel working there...We are not interested in just assurances, I think we would like to see action," Bagchi further said.