Not Good For Canada: EAM On Khalistan Radicals In Brampton Recreating Indira Gandhi's Murder

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday slammed Canada for giving space to separatists and extremist elements after a video showed a parade float in Canada's Brampton city celebrating the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

At a media briefing, S Jaishankar said Canada allowing anti-India elements to operate from its soil is not good for the bilateral relationship as well as for itself. "I think there is a bigger issue involved. And the bigger issue involved really is the space that Canada has continuously and frankly, we are at a loss to understand other than the requirements of vote bank politics, why anybody would do this," he said.

"Because if you look at their history, you would imagine that they learn from history and they would not like to repeat that history. It is not only one incident, however, egregious it may be," Jaishankar said.

"I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence and I think it is not good for relationships and not good for Canada," he added.

His response comes after a purported clip showed a parade float, allegedly organized by Khalistani supporters, showcasing the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Reportedly, the video was shot on June 4, two days before the 39th anniversary of 'Operation Blue Star'.

Operation Bluestar was the Army operation which was carried out in June 1984 to flush out the militants from the Golden Temple.

On the orders of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Indian Army stormed into the Golden Temple to contain Sikh militancy under the leadership of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Punjab. It was informed that Bhindranwale had stashed large quantities of arms in the Golden Temple premises.

Going by the viral clip, the parade was held with a message claiming the assassination was "Revenge for Attack on Shri Darbar Sahib".

Meanwhile, Canadian High Commissioner in India Cameron MacKay has slammed the incident and said that there is "no place for hate or glorification of violence in Canada".

"I am appalled by reports of an event in Canada that celebrated the assassination of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. There is no place in Canada for hate or for the glorification of violence. I categorically condemn these activities," Cameron MacKay tweeted.

Responding to Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's National Security Adviser Jody Thomas's comment that India was among the top sources of foreign interference in Canada, S Jaishankar said, "The phrase which came to my mind was 'Ulta chor kotwal ko daante..."