He was attacked by Khalistani with a sharp object: the ambassador to Canada was recalled

New Delhi:

India’s said High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, on Friday shared the horrifying moment when Khalistan “puzzlers” came very close to harming him and attacked him with a “sharp object” – most likely a “kirpan” – in Albert, who could potentially harm him.

In a podcast with ANI, Sanjay Verma shared his experience of threats and intimidation from Khalistanis.

Sanjay Verma said: “All these attempts to harm me were in the presence of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the local police, and the local police on the spot took immediate action, pushed him away because there were sharp weapons. and the RCMP then threw me from the side door to the scene.”

“It was in Alberta. I’m not an expert on Canadian open carry laws, so I can’t say that. But most likely they would have said it was a ‘kirpan’ which is a small blade, whereas if they had swords they could have come very, very close to me,” Mr Verma said.

Asked if the incident had been reported, Sanjay Verma said, “Everything has been reported and we have been told that the investigation is on.”

Talking about the intimidation by the Khalistanists, Sanjay Verma said that the intimidation was happening through banned organizations linked to the Khalistan extremists.

“Some came by e-mail during so-called protests, which I call hooliganism, when they gathered in front of the two consulates or the High Commission. They shouted slogans to intimidate us. Every time we were at public events, again, they shouted slogans to intimidate us,” he said.

Sharing the incident, Sanjay Verma said, “One day, closer to Diwali, they created 10 heads for me, naming me Ravana. And then my effigy was burnt like Ravana. Isn’t that hate speech? Then they created another poster of mine. .. And this is not hate speech?”

“I reported this to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The response was that we have passed it on to the appropriate authorities and that is correct. We are also doing the same. But the report never came back. Okay. So we assume that nothing happened. So we we assume that it went into the black box so as not to come out,” he said.

When asked if he felt physically threatened at any point, Sanjay Verma said, “Threatened, yes. But was I a threat? No. In most of my public events there will be these hooligans on the street shouting anti-India slogans but also Some of them are very stocky looking tall guys who also make gestures to physically harm me but only with gestures except for a few incidents.

“They came close to me. They tried to intimidate me with such shouts and verbal insults. This was reported,” he said.

Speaking about his security, Sanjay Verma said, “I had Canadian security, both federal and local.”

Asked if he ever doubted their ability to protect him, he said: “No, I wouldn’t. They were very professional, well trained and very respectful. defended us and now defends my colleagues, very, very professionally, never doubted their professionalism.”

He added: “But unfortunately, the statement that we saw at the press briefing from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, where the investigation was not even completed, was sad to see.”

Mr. Verma said he is there to serve India’s national interest and is committed to doing so.

“Diplomacy for most of us would be to be nice, nice cities. But the ultimate goal of diplomacy is to protect your national interests. National interests may lie in improving relations. The national interest can be to raise awareness against these Khalistani Thugs – all these are national interests,” he said.

“So we work for national interests. It just so happens that my national interests are slightly different from those of most other ambassadors in other countries,” said Sanjay Verma.

Mr. Verma was recalled from Canada after the country said he was interested in the murder of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijar. He denied all the charges.

Ties between India and Canada soured after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the Canadian parliament last year that he had “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in Nijar’s killing.
India denies all the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated”, and accuses Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in its country.

Nijar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey last June.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from the syndicated feed.)