Surrey, March 20: Close on the heels of Khalistan supporters pulling off and insulting the Tricolour from the Indian Embassy building in London and breaking the office glass, a senior journalist was heckled at an event where the High Commissioner of India to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma was present.
Verma visited the historic Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara in Vancouver, where he was honoured with a siropa and he urged those present to enhance harmony, benevolence and help new arrivals from India especially students.
Some 100-120 Khalistan supporters gathered at the spot to protest against the action being taken in Punjab over radical Khalistan separatist, a self-styled Sikh preacher and leader of the organisation “Waris Panjab De” Amritpal Singh Sandhu.
A senior journalist at the spot to cover the event for the radio station that he works for Sameer Kaushal met some rough treatment at the hands of some of these pro-Khalistani supporters. The protestors heckled Kaushal and mouthed profanities at him.
The Surrey RCMP failed to intervene and provide security to Kaushal. The officers present at the spot just asked him to leave for his “own safety, as they would not be able to help”.
Though very perturbed over the turn of events and traumatized about how media persons can be treated, Kaushal said in a lighter vein that “at least the police gave me a ride in their Cruiser”.
