External affairs minister S Jaishankar Monday said that the issue of Indian diplomats' names appearing on posters of Khalistani elements in Canada, would be taken up with Canadian and other nations' governments as it may affect relations.
"We have requested our partner countries like Canada, the United States, the UK and Australia not to give space to the Khalistanis. This will affect our relations. We will raise this poster issue with the government of these countries," Jaishankar said.
A poster displaying pictures and names of Indian high commissioner to Canada Sanjay Verma and consul general Apoorva Srivastava has appeared in Canada, showing the diplomats as "killers" of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead there a couple of weeks back.
Khalistani elements plan rally in Toronto on July 8
The poster is about a rally planned by Khalistani elements in Toronto on July 8, which will culminate at the Indian high commission (the poster reads Indian embassy).
The poster was tweeted by former correspondent of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Terry Milewski.
"This is extremely dangerous. Khalistanis are whipping up anger targeting Indian diplomats they call "Killers" of "Shaheed" (Martyr) Hardeep Nijjar, shot in a Mafia-style hit in Surrey BC June 18. There is zero evidence of any Indian role. Grossly irresponsible," Milewski tweeted.
Jaishankar's "votebank politics" charge at Canada
Jaishankar had last month said that Canada giving space to Khalistani elements seems to be driven by votebank politics.
Last week too when asked to comment on the issue, he had said, "For us, how Canada has dealt with the Khalistani issue has been a long standing concern. Because frankly they seem to be driven by vote bank politics."
