A disparaging effigy portraying the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was displayed during a protest outside its consulate in Vancouver on Thursday.
The float, which was part of demonstrations marking the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, depicted India’s late PM’s death who was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards Beant Singh and Satwant Singh on October 31, 1984.
‘Operation Bluestar’
Several posters also depicted echoes of Operation Bluestar, a military operation in 1984 that aimed to remove Khalistani extremists, including their leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. The protest was organised by the “Sikhs for Justice" (SFJ) group, a separatist outfit that advocates for the Khalistan movement.
While similar protests occurred at the consulate in Toronto, no such floats were present. Gurpatwant Pannun, SFJ’s general counsel, warned of potential threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing the killing of a pro-Khalistan figure in British Columbia last year.
The Indian government in the past has registered strong protests over such Khalistan activities. Several reports said Indian officials plan to convey a formal diplomatic complaint, known as a note verbale, to Global Affairs Canada, expressing their concerns about the float.
The depiction of Gandhi’s assassination earlier sparked outrage after a similar incident was held in the Greater Toronto Area last year. Canada’s High Commissioner to New Delhi, Cameron Mackay, at the time, had denounced such glorification of violence, stressing that Canada stands against hate. However, anti-India activity continues to take place in the country with impunity.
Indira Gandhi, India’s first and only woman Prime Minister, served two terms before her assassination in October 1984. She was shot by her own bodyguards, leading to widespread anti-Sikh riots across India, resulting in thousands of deaths and extensive property damage.
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