A tableau depicting the assassination of India's former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, during a ‘shaheedi’ march on the occasion of 39th anniversary of Operation Bluestar in Canada has ignited widespread outrage in India. The disgraceful incident, which took place in Brampton city of Greater Toronto Area, not only reflects the height of Khalistan extremism in the region but also poses a real challenge to the Indo-Canada relationship, as cautioned by Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Senior Congress leaders, however, are not satisfied with Jaishankar’s response, and have requested for a more specific condemnation of the disrespect shown towards one of the tallest leaders of India who headed the sovereign government after independence. They have also questioned the silence of the Indian prime minister over the entire issue. The parade-holders in Brampton bluntly glorified Indira’s assassination by displaying it as a “revenge for attack on Shri Darbar Sahib” — referring obliquely to the Operation Blue Star of 1984 under which the Indira Gandhi government flushed out separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale and his supporters from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Subsequently, Gandhi was gunned down by her two Sikh bodyguards the same year. Her assassination left an indelible mark on India's collective memory. By glorifying such a heinous act, the perpetrators have crossed the boundaries of basic human decency and demonstrated a complete disregard for the values of compassion and empathy. Furthermore, the tableau depicting Indira Gandhi's assassination is a disturbing manifestation of the dangerous ideologies that continue to thrive within certain sections of the community in Canada. It is essential to acknowledge that these extremist forces represent only a minority, and the majority of Sikhs firmly stand against such acts of violence. The Union External Affairs minister perceives the incident that happened in Canada in the form of rise of Khalistan extremism, aided by the political class of the country in lieu of votes. Without referring to Indira Gandhi, Jaishankar said, “we are at a loss to understand, other than the requirements of vote bank politics, why anybody would do this.” He further added that there is “a larger underlying issue about this space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence. And I think it’s not good for the relationship and I think it’s not good for Canada.” Notably, the bilateral relations between India and Canada had soured recently in the wake of Khalistan supporters displaying anti-India and anti-Modi graffiti on temples and community centers in Canada. One may recall that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s criticism of the Indian government’s response to farmers’ protest, staged predominantly by Sikh farmers, had also caused bitterness in ties. Presently, bilateral commercial relations between India and Canada are reported to stand at USD 100 billion, which includes USD 70 billion of Canadian portfolio investment. Apart from it, the two nations share a strong diasporic bond. Furthermore, Indo-Canada ties are based on the foundational principles of democracy and sovereignty. The tableau depicting Indira Gandhi's assassination serves as a direct attack on India's historical legacy and democracy. India, as the world's largest democracy, has always strived to safeguard its democratic institutions and uphold the principles of freedom and liberty. By glorifying Indira Gandhi’s assassination, the extremist elements have undermined the very foundations upon which India's democracy stands. It is imperative that all citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations, unite against such attempts aimed at destabilising the nation's democratic fabric. As far as government-to-government response is concerned, the ruling dispensation in India has only limited options. However outrageous the incident may seem to be, it is caught between the grey area separating democratic protest and provocation to violence. The Canadian government is within its right to decide, as per its own law, the boundaries that demarcate free speech and inflammatory expressions — particularly one directed towards another sovereign nation. As hinted by S Jaishankar, the Canadian government must go beyond political compulsions to take strictest possible action against the perpetrators. The Indian government, at the same time, could have been sharper, more nuanced and apolitical in its response.