Tableau featuring Indira Gandhi’s assassination in Brampton sparks widespread outrage

Expressing his concerns, Canada-based Friends of Canada & India Foundation president Maninder Singh Gill said, “I strongly condemn this kind of act by the Khalistani people as this will create a big problem in Canada for the coming generations. We support ‘Nagar Kirtan’ but not such things where terrorism and hatred is being promoted.”

He said that 90% of the Punjabi diaspora in Canada are against terrorism and only these 10% Khalistani people are creating ruckus, indulging in hooliganism and threatening peace. But no action is being taken against them here, he added.

He said that from their organisation they have sent a strong message to governments of both sides to prevent such things in future as it will have negative implications.

Manan Gupta, a Brampton-based community activist, said that this is not something new as for the past two years terror activities are being promoted here.

“Such kind of glorification of past violence must be condemned by one and all irrespective of one’s caste and creed. When such things happen, it leads to a lot of confusion and it gets one nowhere,” said Gupta. “Such unlawful acts have no place in any peaceful community and society across the world,” he added.

Both the countries (India and Canada) are big democracies and they should take such issues seriously to build healthy relations between them, he said.

Toronto-based Balraj Deol, a veteran journalist, took to Twitter to condemn the incident. His first tweet stated: “Open Your eyes Canada and see how this land is being used against India.”

“While PM Trudeau’s Security advisor Jody Thomas was stating that India is the top source of foreign interference in Canada, a float depicting the murder of late Indian PM was part of ‘Shaeedi Parade’ in Brampton,” read another of his tweet.

He again tweeted: “Does it help Canada’s ‘Indo-Pacific strategy’? A float depicting murder of late Indian PM by her Sikh bodyguards being part of about 5 KM long parade in city of Brampton on June 4th. Jody Thomas, the secuirty advisor of Justin Trudeu, may reflect on it!”.

One more of his tweet read: “Sikh Community being bluffed emotional raped by vested interets for long time.”

The videos of the tableau, which also included banners referring to Operation Blue Star and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, were shared online.

Baljinder Singh Mann, another NRI from Canada, said that they have been living in Brampton for several decades now. Earlier only a handful of people used to get involved in such things but now for the past two years ever since the referendum 2020 call was given, the Khalistanis have been raising their voice every now and then and even threatening the Sikh people in Brampton and around. The Canada government, however, is silent on these unlawful activities, he added.

“The Canada government is not only turning a blind eye to their acts who are creating trouble in gurdwaras by hanging the photographs of militants instead of the ‘Gurus’ but also supporting them when they misbehave with the peace-loving Sikh people of their community and not taking action on the complaints filed against them,” Mann said, adding that he is not a Congress supporter but a reasonable common man who understands that such things lead to violence.