Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed 鈥渟trong concerns鈥� over Canada鈥檚 handling of the Punjabi independence movement among the overseas diaspora, on the same day thousands in Metro Vancouver鈥檚 Sikh community gathered to vote on the matter.
A statement released by India鈥檚 Ministry of External Affairs said Modi told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of this weekend鈥檚 G20 summit in New Delhi that progress in the two countries鈥� relationship required 鈥渕utual respect and trust.鈥�
鈥淚ndia-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties,鈥� the Indian government statement said. 鈥�(Modi) conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.鈥�
The statement described the Sikh movement as 鈥減romoting secessionism and inciting violence鈥� against Indian diplomats. It called on Canada to work with India on what New Delhi said is a threat to the Canadian Indian diaspora.
The meeting between Modi and Trudeau coincided with voting in British Columbia on a non-binding referendum for a Sikh homeland that supporters call Khalistan.
Large crowds of voters lined up to vote at Surrey鈥檚 Guru Nanak Gurdwara on Sunday, after the Surrey School District cancelled organizers鈥� original plans to rent a local high school for the vote, which is part of an international campaign.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel for the referendum鈥檚 organizers, said Monday the attendance numbers were so large that 鈥渢housands鈥� were not able to vote, and a second phase of voting is now scheduled for Oct. 29.
Pannun said the turnout is a 鈥渃lear message鈥� that activists are committed to a 鈥減eaceful and democratic鈥� process for the group鈥檚 goal of seeking Punjabi independence from India.
鈥淭housands and thousands (of) Sikhs got together (at) 7 o鈥檆lock in the morning and peacefully dispersed after the voting,鈥� Pannun said. 鈥淭hat should be a clear signal even to the Canadians that we follow the laws of the land, and Khalistan is a peaceful and democratic movement 鈥� and the Indigenous people of the Punjab should have the right to do an official referendum.鈥�
Organizers have held votes in the Vancouver and Toronto areas, and are preparing for additional referendums in Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal, as well as other parts of Canada, the United States and other countries, Pannun said.
The goal, he said, is to gather all overseas votes by 2025 and present the case to the United Nations for an official referendum on Punjabi independence from India.
Tensions around Sikh independence movements and Canada-India ties escalated in June after Guru Nanak Gurdwara president Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead while in his vehicle at the temple鈥檚 parking lot.
Activists organized a protest later that month outside the Indian consulate general鈥檚 office in Vancouver, accusing the country of 鈥渇oreign interference鈥� for possible links to the death.
Police say Nijjar鈥檚 death has not been connected to foreign interference, and there鈥檚 no reason to believe Canada鈥檚 Sikh community is at risk.
However, some activists have called on supporters in Canada to 鈥渂esiege鈥� India鈥檚 diplomatic missions, offering cash rewards for the home addresses of its diplomats.
India鈥檚 High Commissioner in Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, recently said the concern from Indian diplomats about their safety has been 鈥渨ell understood鈥� by Canada in its response to a request for better protection.
鈥淭here have been posters where I am called an assassin,鈥� Verma told The Canadian Press.
鈥淚f a reward is put on my head, doesn鈥檛 it restrict my movement? So, where is my freedom to move freely in this country?鈥�
Verma said, however, that Canada is adequately protecting his country鈥檚 diplomats, and closer ties are possible despite heated diaspora politics.
Canada and India last month paused ongoing talks for a bilateral trade deal, and negotiations have been on and off since 2010.
The Indian government鈥檚 statement about Modi鈥檚 meeting with Trudeau said it believes the Punjabi independence movement is involved in 鈥渄amaging diplomatic premises and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship.鈥�
鈥淭he nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well,鈥� Modi reportedly told Trudeau, the statement said.
Sikh vote organizers say they have been unfairly portrayed by India, saying their referendum poster 鈥� showing a pen stabbing a gun representing the Indian government 鈥� is a pro-peace, pro-democracy image showing the group鈥檚 commitment to voting and non-violent actions.
The same poster was one of the key reasons cited by the Surrey School District in its decision to cancel vote organizers鈥� planned rental of a school for the vote.
In a statement, the school district said it cancelled the rental of Tamanawis Secondary a week before the event because promotional posters featured images of a weapon alongside the school building.
The district says its decision is neither an endorsement nor a criticism of the movement and refunds will be issued, but organizers said they intend to pursue legal action for what they call a 鈥渂reach of contract鈥� and a violation of Charter rights on freedom of expression.
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