Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has claimed that a parade float mocking the assassination of a former Indian prime minister was not a hate crime following a police investigation.
The extremist June 4th parade sparked outrage in India for displaying the float which depicted the killing of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984 using mannequins.
The float, which had a poster that read “Revenge”, was alleged to be a celebration of violence by Sikh separatists who demand an independent homeland called Khalistan.
Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984, after she ordered a military operation to flush out armed militants from the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, in Amritsar city.
The float that showed Indira Gandhi’s assassination drew sharp criticism from Indian authorities and politicians, who condemned it as a hate crime and an insult to India’s democracy.
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that such acts were not good for Canada or for bilateral relations between the two countries which were already strained. He also expressed concern over the space given to extremists and separatists in Canada.
“You cannot exceed freedom of expression like this, glorifying the assassination of the leader of a democratic nation,” said Jaishankar.
The incident has strained the already tense ties between India and Canada over the issue of Sikh extremism.
India has accused Canada of harboring and supporting Khalistani elements who pose a threat to India’s security and stability.
The float depicting Indira Gandhi’s assassination is not the first time that such a display has been made in Canada. In 2010, a float that was seen as honoring Sikh terrorists, was featured at a parade in Surrey, British Columbia which also faced condemnation from India.
In 2018, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited India and faced criticism for his perceived soft stance on Khalistani groups. He also faced embarrassment when it was revealed that convicted Sikh and attempted assassin Jaspal Atwal was invited to an official event during his trip.
