Sanjay Verma, the Indian high commissioner recently recalled from Canada, shared a terrifying experience on Thursday where Khalistani attackers assaulted him with a sword in Alberta while he was with his wife.
Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma (Image: Asia Society)
In an interview with the news agency ANI, Verma recounted how the Khalistani "goons" nearly injured him, emphasizing that they used a sword—an actual weapon rather than a ‘kirpan’ religious symbol.
He mentioned that local police conducted an interrogation afterward, but he was not provided with any details regarding it.
Verma also stated that, according to Canada's own assessment, Indian diplomats were at risk, which led to the provision of protection by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Sanjay Verma’s statement
“Yes, a couple of times they came very close to bodily harm us...They were carrying a sword, it was not a kirpan...When I was in Alberta a sword came around 2-2.5 inches close to my body," ANI reported Sanjay Verma stating.
The recalled Indian high commissioner also said he was accompanied by his wife. “When I was in Alberta my wife was also with me...,” he said.
Sanjay Verma stated that the Khalistanis encircled the exit gate and assaulted him. “I was in a city in Alberta. And there the Indians had a dinner party which also had cultural programmes, where it was expected that I would meet the Indians. And that was a business event. So many businessmen from Canada were there. And the main thing was how we could advance the business relationship, what new things we could bring, what new sectors we could bring. This was in a convention hall,” he said.
"Outside, around 150 people were there who were doing bad things in the name of Khalistan. And they surrounded the entrance from which I had to go. When I entered, there were RCMP and local police. Alberta is our good friend. Local police were present there. But maybe they didn't think that they would do such a bad thing. My wife was accompanying me. When I was passing, there was a sword. They may not know the difference between sword and a kirpan. But we Indians who have seen Sikhism, who are so patriotic, where we have seen them, by the grace of Wahe Guru, we know the difference between a sword and a kirpan. So this was a sword, which came about 2 to 2.5 inches away from my body," Sanjay Verma reflected on the terrifying experience during the interview.
“The local police got into action immediately and pushed them back. They also held an interrogation. I was not informed about the final results. We also informed the Global Affairs of Canada about the incident. They also believed that this is not right. And we also tried to explain to them that there is a difference between a sword and a kirpan. There is a difference between a spear and a kirpan. And this is not a religious belonging that they carry,” he said.
Verma added, "So there are a couple of such incidents. But my main purpose is that the relationship between the two countries should be restored."
Khalistani thugs are threatening the peace-loving Indo-Canadian community, says Sanjay Verma
Verma stated that Khalistani extremists pose a threat to peace-loving Indo-Canadians and have vandalized their places of worship.
He was recalled from Canada after being identified as a person of interest in the murder case of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, he has denied all charges brought against him by Ottawa regarding Nijjar's killing.
Relations between India and Canada deteriorated after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed in Parliament last year that he had "credible allegations" linking India to Nijjar's murder.
India has dismissed these allegations as “absurd” and “motivated,” accusing Canada of harboring extremist and anti-India elements.
Nijjar, labeled a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June of last year.
Following this, India expelled six Canadian diplomats shortly after summoning Canada’s Charge d'Affaires Stewart Wheeler, expressing that the “baseless targeting” of the Indian high commissioner and other diplomats in Canada is wholly unacceptable.
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