NEW DELHI: India summoned Canadian high commissioner Cameron Mackay on Tuesday to formally register a protest over the targeting of senior Indian diplomats by Khalistan supporters.Foreign minister S Jaishankar had said on Monday that India was going to raise the issue with Canada while warning that such activities would hurt bilateral ties.
Meanwhile, Canada assured India of the safety of its diplomats following the circulation of Khalistani posters online which named Indian diplomats and termed the "promotional material" circulating ahead of a Khalistan rally "unacceptable".The statement by Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly came a day after Jaishankar's comments that India had asked its partner countries such as Canada, the UK and the US not to give space to "extremist Khalistani ideology" as it was "not good" for relations.
"Canada takes its obligations under the Vienna Convention regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously," she tweeted on Tuesday."Canada remains in close contact with Indian officials in light of some of the promotional material circulating online regarding a protest planned for July 8, which are unacceptable," Joly said.Joly also emphasised that the actions of a few individuals "do not speak for an entire community or Canada".
Jaishankar, when asked about the reports of Khalistani posters in Canada naming Indian diplomats, had said the issue would be raised with the government of that country.