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<\/div>\nIndira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
New Delhi: <\/b><\/p>\n
The Congress on Thursday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take up strongly with Canadian authorities the issue of a float depicting the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in a parade in Brampton.<\/p>\n
Asked about it at a press conference, Mr Jaishankar hit out at Canada, saying there was a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, extremists and people who advocate violence.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Canadian High Commissioner to India Cameron Mackay said he was “appalled” by the reports of the event in his country that “celebrated” the assassination of the Indian prime minister.<\/p>\n
“There is no place in Canada for hate or for the glorification of violence. I categorically condemn these activities,” he said in a tweet.<\/p>\n
Congress leader and former Union minister Milind Deora shared a purported video, which is doing the rounds on social media, of a float at a recent parade in Brampton depicting Gandhi’s assassination.<\/p>\n
“As an Indian, I’m appalled by the 5 km-long parade which took place in the city of Brampton, Canada, depicting the assassination of Indira Gandhi,” he tweeted.<\/p>\n
“It’s not about taking sides, it’s about respect for a nation’s history and the pain caused by its Prime Minister’s assassination,” Mr Deora said.<\/p>\n
This extremism deserves universal condemnation and a united response, the Congress leader asserted.<\/p>\n
Tagging Mr Deora’s tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “I entirely agree! This is despicable and Dr S Jaishankar should take it up strongly with the Canadian authorities.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Responding to Mr Deora’s tweet, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, “You are completely right…There should be no politics in condemning this despicable act across party lines.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
At his press conference, Mr Jaishankar said, “Frankly, we are at a loss to understand other than the requirements of vote bank politics why anybody would do this…I think it is not one issue, no matter how egregious it may be. I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I think it is not good for the relationship and I think it is not good for Canada,” he added.<\/p>\n
Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984.\u00a0<\/p>\n
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n