"Doesn't lend it greater legitimacy": MEA on SFJ chief issuing video threatening Indian diplomats

New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said that Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannu issuing a video statement threatening Indian diplomats outside the UN Headquarters, doesn't lend it greater legitimacy.

"We are aware of this video. I don't think taking a video in front of the UN building lends it any greater legitimacy. We have been consistently and regularly taking up cases of threats etc. with the Canadian authorities and others," Bagchi said during the weekly MEA briefing on Thursday. Bagchi was responding to a question on whether Indian authorities have taken action against SFJ chief Pannu issuing a fresh video statement threatening India and saying that a Khalistani referendum will be held in two places in Canada.
The MEA official spokesperson said: "We have repeatedly made our views clear on the referendum and they are doing it regularly just to keep the issue alive."

He further said: "SFJ is a proscribed entity. We have been taking up the issue with our partner countries to ensure that their activities are proscribed and they are unable to make threats."
India recently summoned Canadian High Commissioner in New Delhi over propaganda material, including posters containing threats to Indian diplomats being circulated in Canada and has served a demarche to the Justin Trudeau government.

According to sources, India on Monday raised concerns over threats to its diplomats in posters being circulated in Canada with information on a pro-Khalistan rally to be held on July 8. The posters contained threats to the Indian ambassador to Canada and the consulate general in Toronto.

The posters purportedly circulated by Sikh extremists have named Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma and the Consulate General of India, Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava accusing them of playing a role in the June killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief and designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

The rally is being held in the name of Harjit Singh Nijjar aka Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist who was killed in a targeted shooting in Canada's Surrey on June 18. Earlier, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said that her country is in close contact with Indian officials in light of some "unacceptable" posters that have appeared in Canada, regarding a protest planned for July 8, which bears the names and photos of some top Indian diplomats.

In her statement shared on Twitter, Melanie Joly stated, "Canada takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously. Canada remains in close contact with Indian officials in light of some of the promotional material circulating online regarding a protest planned for July 8th, which is unacceptable. We know that the actions of a few do not speak for an entire community or Canada."