OTTAWA — India has summoned Canada’s envoy to New Delhi following a large Sikh rally in Toronto attended by the three main federal party leaders.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Jagmeet Singh at the Khalsa Day rally in Toronto on Sunday.
The rally commemorates the Sikh faith, and some participants chanted and held banners emblazoned with slogans calling for a separate state of India, known as Khalistan.
India formally summoned Canada’s deputy high commissioner on Monday, and the country’s foreign ministry denounced what it called “disturbing actions that continued unchecked during the event.”
India’s foreign ministry did not specify what it had a problem with, but noted that there had been displays of separatism and alleged that this illustrates Canada’s tolerance of “extremism and violence”.
New Delhi and Ottawa have been at odds over the issue for decades and their relations have been significantly strained since Justin Trudeau accused India of playing a role in the assassination of a Canadian Sikh leader last year.
Canada insists it will not infringe on freedom of expression, including when Sikhs demand the existence of Khalistan.
But India says the comments violate its constitution.
India has reported instances of people in Canada openly glorifying those linked to the 1985 Air India plane bombing, whose passengers were largely Canadian citizens.
Human rights groups say the country’s Hindu nationalist government has increasingly persecuted minorities in recent years.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly’s office did not immediately comment on India’s reproaches on Monday.
Ms. Joly has repeatedly said she wants to privately bridge the diplomatic divide with India.
