Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Punjabi-American elected to New York state office, expressed her pride in attending the Sikh Day Parade as the Guest of Honour. She lauded the Sikh community's commitment to values of equality, unity, and compassion, recognising their important role in New York City's diverse culture. However, an image shared by Jenifer Rajkumar where Khalistani flags are seen in the background has sparked a row.
Rajkumar was at the Sikh Day Parade, which is known as Khalsa Day or Vaisaki, the day that marks the celebration of the Sikh New Year.
However, Jenifer's post sparked controversy online as some users pointed to the presence of a Khalistani flag in the background of a photo she shared.
The user was referring to the blowing up of Air India Kanishka bombing of June 23, 1985. A bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182, which was going from Toronto to London, England, killing all 329 people on board. Most of those killed were Canadians and the terror attack by Khalistani separatists remains the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history.
This incident in the US came even as pro-Khalistan slogans were also raised at an event in Toronto as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the crowd.
