India Lodges Complaint as Anti-India Poster Appears at Vancouver Consulate

India has taken swift action and lodged a formal complaint with Canadian authorities following a concerning security lapse at its Consulate in Vancouver. On Tuesday, an anti-India poster was discovered at the building housing the Consulate, featuring photographs and names of India's senior-most diplomats in Canada – its High Commissioner to Ottawa and Consul Generals in Vancouver and Toronto.

Similar posters had appeared earlier in various locations across the Metro Vancouver region, particularly in Surrey, using the word "Wanted" alongside the diplomats' images. The poster at the entrance to the Consulate building was promptly removed after its discovery, indicating that it had been placed there during the early hours.

The Consulate has taken up the matter with local contact points to initiate remedial action, while responsibility for diplomatic security lies with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the Vancouver Police Department oversees the local agency in charge.

Interestingly, the secessionist group had warned in advance about besieging Indian missions on August 15, and videos of the poster placements were circulated on social media on Monday, amplifying the situation further. Some of these posts appeared to be associated with Pakistan or pro-Pakistan handles, many of which were recently created.

The latest series of posters specifically referenced the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the prominent figure of the Sikh for Justice (SFJ) organization in British Columbia. Nijjar was murdered in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Singh Gurdwara Sahib in Surrey on June 18, with SFJ attributing his death to India. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), currently investigating the killing, has not yet ascribed any motive while seeking the perpetrators.

In a similar vein, several posters had surfaced in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) last month before SFJ's so-called Khalistan Referendum at a gurdwara in the area on July 16. Now, with the latest round of posters appearing, it is evident that SFJ is preparing for another referendum in September in Surrey.

The issue of Indian diplomats' security was previously raised by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his meeting with Canada's foreign minister Mélanie Joly in July, which took place during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Jakarta. Joly assured that Ottawa takes its obligations under the Vienna Convention on the safety of diplomats very seriously, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring the envoy's security.

This incident underscores the importance of vigilance in safeguarding diplomatic missions and personnel while addressing the escalating concern over provocative posters targeting India's diplomats.