It is called the Indo-Canadian Federation, and was founded on February 7, six days after a group of Sikhs trampled upon India's national flag outside the Pearson Convention Center in suburban Brampton where on Feb. 1 Panorama India, in collaboration with the Indian Consulate, were celebrating Republic Day.
The incident created a stir in the larger Indo-Canadian community.
Over 500 people gathered outside the Queen's Park, seat of the Ontario government, on March 22 to demonstrate against the flag incident. They said they were demonstrating against the desecration of the Indian flag and violations of the civic and fundamental rights of the Indo-Canadians and friends of India.
They shouted slogans 'Jai Hindi', 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and Jai Canada.
Yogesh Sharma, convener of ICF, earlier said 'it was indeed unfortunate that these blatant violations of peoples' rights to assemble peacefully took place in the presence of Peel Police officers who refused to intervene and provide any assistance to the Indian community, so as to ensure trouble free entry to the celebration venue.
The group had earlier met at the Vedic Cultural Centre to express their deep concern and they condemned this incident and group responsible for violating the Canadian Charter of Rights by obstructing the entrance to Pearson Convention Center and also making provocative gestures and utterances.
They call ICF a secular, non-profit, charitable organisation. Its aim is to protest against any kind of discrimination and violations of their civil and fundamental rights, also to inculcate the sense of belongingness to India.
Image: Demonstration organized by the Indo-Canada Federation in Ontario.
Text: Ajit Jain; photograph: Bashmir Khan