"For the last 40 years, we have been talking about the presence of extremists within Canada. Since the Air India Kanishka bombing, we have been talking about it. We have given evidence. The thing is both countries are mature enough to understand that we need to have a relationship where we could discuss how people could be safer on the streets. Canadians safe on Canadian streets and Indians safe on Indian streets," Patnaik told the state broadcaster.
"Recently, we had the brother of Lawrence Bishnoi, who is in (Indian) jail. His brother was last week extradited by the Americans to India to face the charges. So, we are taking action on our front. Whatever intelligence we have about the Bishnoi gang, the Bathimba gang, the Sikh gangs, who are doing things here, their links with global cartels; the terrorists have their own organizations and own way to connect with each other, so there are groups here which are working with groups around the world," Indian High Commissioner in Canada said.
"This is a referendum done by Canadians in Canada. If you want to do it, you do it. The problem is that back home in India, we see it as Canadian foreign interference in our internal matters. like Canadians see any such thing as Indian interference in Canada. And that's something Canada has to think about," Patnaik said.
"If it was only peaceful, it was okay. But what are you doing? You are putting up pictures of violence, you are putting up pictures of a former prime minister of India being assassinated. You are glorifying suicide bombers, who had killed a former Chief Minister of Punjab. There is a line between freedom of speech and hate," Patnaik remarked.