Canada: Opposition leader condemns portrayal of Indira Gandhi’s murder | World News

Toronto: The leader of Canada’s main opposition party has described images depicting the assassination of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on a float as “despicable”.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said: “We unequivocally condemn this display of despicableness.”

In a statement released by his party, he added that “it is unacceptable to celebrate an assassination, such as that of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.”

It was shown on screen at the shaheedi diwas, or Day of Martyrdom event, held in Brampton, Greater Toronto Area (GTA), on June 4th, marking the 39th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. On that day in 1984, Indian troops stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar to drive out separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his supporters. Other scenes from the event have posters of Bhindranwale. On October 31 of that year, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her security guards.

The only elected official to condemn the float was Inca Liberal MP Chandra Arya.

While the Peel Regional Police (PRP) has determined that the float does not contain a hate crime, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa is still awaiting an official response from the country’s foreign ministry, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), to a diplomatic note sent last week protesting the footage. Appear. The findings of the police investigation were disclosed in a statement Friday from the office of Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.

In a response on Friday, a GAC ​​spokesperson told the Hindustan Times that it had “no further additions to the June 5 tweet by the Canadian High Commissioner to India’s Cameron McKay”.

The tweet, the only official response so far by Canadian officials, said: “I am appalled by reports of Canada celebrating the assassination of the late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. There is no place in Canada for hate or the glorification of violence.” I firmly condemn these activities.”

The separatist group Sikh Justice (SFJ) defended the float and said it “does not provoke, facilitate or incite violence”. In a statement on Saturday, SFJ’s legal counsel Gurpatwant Pannun claimed the assassination was a “direct result” of Operation Blue Star.