Chhattisgarh CM Baghel urges Centre to raise objection against Indira Gandhi's assassination celebration in Canada
Jun 10, 2023
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 10 : Referring to the controversial video of a parade in Canada's Brampton depicting the assassination celebration of former PM Indira Gandhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in a press briefing urged the Central Government to take cognizance and raise an objection against it.
Speaking in a press briefing, CM Baghel said, "The Government of India should take cognizance of this and raise an objection to this (Khalistani supporters celebrating Operation Blue Star and Indira Gandhi's assassination celebration in Canada) ..."
He hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party and said that whenever Congress leader Rahul Gandhi travels abroad and speaks, all BJP leaders and ministers start giving statements over it which shows Rahul Gandhi is towering over them.
"Whenever Rahul Gandhi goes out & speaks, all leaders, ministers are after it. All ministers of the BJP start giving statements. This means Rahul Gandhi is towering over them", he said.
Indira Gandhi served as the first and only woman Prime Minister of India from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984. She was shot dead by two of her own bodyguards at her official residence on October 31, 1984.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has expressed his concern over the reports and said there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists and "it is not good for relationships".
"I think there is a bigger issue involved...Frankly, we are at a loss to understand other than the requirements of vote bank politics why anybody would do this...I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence. I think it is not good for relationships, not good for Canada," Jaishankar said in response to a query about reports of late PM Indira Gandhi's assassination celebration in the Canada city.
Earlier in the day, High Commissioner for Canada in India Cameron MacKay condemned the celebration of the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
MacKay said that he is "appalled" by reports of an event in Canada that celebrated the killing of Indira Gandhi.
"I am appalled by reports of an event in Canada that celebrated the assassination of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. There is no place in Canada for hate or for the glorification of violence. I categorically condemn these activities," he said in a tweet.
Congress has also strongly condemned the glorification of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassins during the parade.
