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Pro-Khalistan groups in Canada pay ‘homage’ to Beant Singh’s assassin; spark controversy

Floats displaying former Punjab CM’s assassin, Dilwar Singh Babbar, were taken out to the Indian Consulate in Vancouver

Floats displaying former Punjab CM Beant Singh assassin, Dilwar Singh Babbar, being taken out in a rally in Canada on Saturday | X

On the occasion of the 29th anniversary of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassination, pro-Khalistan groups in Canada paid ‘homage’ to the suicide bomber responsible for his death in 1995. 

Members of the pro-Khalistan groups took out a rally to the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on Saturday, with floats depicting the CM’s assassination pictures—covered in blood.

"Beanta Bombed to Death," the float read.

Pictures of Dilwar Singh Babbar, the suicide bomber responsible for Singh’s death, were also carried during the rally.

A similar rally took place in Toronto too to commemorate the “sacrifice” of Babbar. “Human bomb sacrificed life to stop Sikh genocide,” read another float. The Toronto rally was led by Inderjeet Singh Gosal, who described campaigners for the so-called Khalistan Referendum as "offspring" of Babbar. 

Gosal was also close to Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Surrey, Canada on June 18 last year. 

Beant Singh became Punjab CM in February 1992. His appointment came during a period of instability in Punjab. 

The suicide bombing in Chandigarh killed a total of 17 people. The terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International or BKI, had claimed responsibility for the attack. BKI is on the list of Canada’s proscribed terrorist entities.

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Earlier in June another rally was held in Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area depicting Indira Gandhi’s assassination. The parade marked the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar-- when the Indian Army conducted a military operation to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other Sikh extremists from the Golden Temple.

Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc posted on X, “The promotion of violence is never acceptable in Canada.”

India has earlier accused the Canadian government of allowing “celebration and glorification” of violence in their country.