As the continued tensions between India and Canada proceed to be on the rise amid a diplomatic showdown, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) on Thursday mentioned that risk to Indian diplomats in Ottawa has elevated.
Addressing a media briefing in Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned that New Delhi had requested for safety for the Indian diplomats for consular camp, nonetheless, it was not supplied by the Canadian authorities. “Over the past yr or much more, the sort of issues that now we have seen attacking Indian diplomats, threatening, intimidating, harassing Indian diplomats,” he added.
The MEA spokesperson additional mentioned, “Sure, threats to Indian diplomats in Canada has elevated. They’ve been put underneath surveillance, which is unacceptable. We had additionally taken up the matter very strongly with the Canadian aspect on it.”
Jaiswal’s remarks come within the backdrop of the continued tussle over the assault at temple in Brampton, which was additionally sternly “condemned” the MEA. The spokesperson instructed reporters that New Delhi has referred to as upon the Justin Trudeau-led authorities to carry rule of legislation and to carry justice to the individuals who purported the violence.
Indian consular workers underneath surveillance
Simply final week, India had accused Canada of indulging in “harassment and intimidation” of the Indian consular workers there, saying that that they had been put underneath audio and video surveillance. Jaiswal had mentioned that New Delhi “formally protested” to the Canadian authorities.
The MEA spokesperson mentioned that communications of the consular workers in Ottawa have been being “intercepted”, including that India deems such surveillance to be “in flagrant violation of related diplomatic and consular conventions”.
The connection between the 2 international locations have been deeply strained since Trudeau alleged the involvement of Indian authorities officers within the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The allegations have been dismissed as “absurd” by New Delhi.
Nijjar, designated as a terrorist by India, was shot useless by unknown gunmen outdoors a Sikh temple in British Columbia final yr.
India-Canada diplomatic row
With the diplomatic showdown reaching its peak final month, India withdrew its excessive commissioner to Canada — Sanjay Kumar Verma — and different “focused” officers from Canada, and expelled six Canadian diplomats. Then in a tit-for-tat transfer, Ottawa expelled six diplomats as properly.
“Our diplomatic and consular personnel are already functioning in an setting of extremism and violence. This motion of the Canadian authorities aggravates the scenario, and is incompatible with established diplomatic norms and practices,” Jaiswal had mentioned.
India mentioned that the Canadian authorities’s actions endangered the protection of the Indian diplomats, including that New Delhi has no religion within the Trudeau administration’s dedication to make sure their security.
As each the international locations expelled diplomats and engaged in a head-on tussle, Canadian Overseas Minister Melanie Joly mentioned that the remaining Indian diplomats have been additionally “clearly on discover” after Ottawa named the Indian Excessive Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma as an individual of curiosity in Nijjar’s killing.
India has continued to take care of its stance, dismissing the allegations levelled in opposition to the federal government and its diplomats by Canada. New Delhi has mentioned that it might not present any info to Ottawa till it shares proof backing the accusations it has made.
