'Threat' to Indian diplomats, Canada envoy called

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, July 4

India summoned the Canadian High Commissioner here on Tuesday while raising the issue with the foreign offices of the US and Australia over the recent spurt in pro-Khalistani activities that climaxed with separatists issuing a video showing the Indian Consulate of San Francisco on fire.

Even as the entire political class here condemned the arson at San Francisco, the US Ambassador was not similarly summoned, but sources said the issue was “strongly raised” with the US. It is suspected that a group of Khalistan radicals set the Indian Consulate on fire on July 2, but the damage was quickly contained by the local Fire Department and there were no reports of any major damage or harm to the staffers. The video emerged after Khalistani activists put it on WhatsApp groups in “celebration”.

Indian diplomats have notified the local, state and federal authorities while the US Department of State has strongly condemned the act of violence. “The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offence,” it said. The Canadian envoy was summoned over Khalistanis threatening Indian diplomats in Canada in propaganda material. On Monday, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had said the issue would be raised with the government of that country.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly has assured India of the safety of its diplomats and termed the “promotional material” circulating ahead of a Khalistan rally “unacceptable”. “Canada takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously,” Joly said.