"This is really a letdown...": Former diplomat after Indian community counters pro-Khalistani protest

Gurugram (Haryana) [India], July 9 : After the Indian community unitedly countered a pro-Khalistan protest in Canada's Toronto, Former Indian Ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta, Anil Trigunayat, on Sunday, said that this is "a letdown for the Khalistani extremists and separatists".

"This is really, in a way, a letdown for the Khalistani extremists and separatists who have been threatening the Indian diplomats and the Indian missions for quite some time and have been indulging in anti-activities," former Indian diplomat Trigunayat said.

Earlier, the Indian community holding the Tricolour, on Saturday (local time), gathered outside the consulate and unitedly countered a pro-Khalistan protest in Canada's Toronto.

"Regarding the safety of Indian diplomats, the External Affairs Minister and Prime Minister have conveyed messages and concerns about the safety and security of the diplomats and our missions," Trigunayat said in a self-made video.

Trigunayat further stated that if the foreign countries wished to continue the strategic partnership and a special relationship with India then they have to ban "seditious activities."

"If they wish to continue to have the same sort of strategic partnership and the special relationship that they expect from India, I think it is important that seditious activities like these should be banned and controlled in their countries. The most minimum they can do is to fulfil their commitments," he said.

"As regards the Vienna Conventions are concerned and they seem to be the upholders of that. And therefore they have to show in practice that yes, we stand by it and not by vote politics or by, I would say, the implicit designs that act against India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

The former diplomat stated that India has sent a loud and clear message.

He further added that the US, UK, and Canadian governments for the time being taken adequate action to protect the Indian premises.

"But these kinds of activities like referendums and all that must not be allowed from their own soil under the garb of some kind of democracy and freedom and rights, etc, Trigunayat said.

Pro-Khalistani elements had announced to hold rallies outside Indian Missions in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia on Saturday after the alleged killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last month.

This was followed by posters threatening the Indian ambassadors to Canada and the US, as well as the consulate general in Toronto.

According to sources, India on Monday raised concerns over threats to its diplomats in posters being circulated in Canada with information on a pro-Khalistan rally to be held on July 8. The posters contained threats to the Indian Ambassador to Canada and the consulate general in Toronto.

The posters purportedly circulated by Sikh extremists have named Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma and the Consulate General of India, Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava accusing them of playing a role in the alleged killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Nijjar.

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