Indian Embassy Cancels More Consular Camps In Canada Over Security Concerns Amid Khalistani Threat

New Delhi: As India-Canada diplomatic crisis continues to deepen over the issue of Khalistani extremism, the Indian Consulate in Toronto has cancelled some more consular camps in the country, citing security concerns.

It was confirmed through an official statement by the Indian Consulate in Toronto issued on Thursday. The Indian Consulate said that the decision comes in the wake of Canadian security agencies' inability in providing "minimum security against heightened threats" to members of the Indian diaspora.

The official statement read, “Due to continued inability conveyed by security agencies to provide minimum security against heightened threats, Consulate has had to cancel some more consular camps. Most of them were not at any places of worship, including one at a Police facility."

This comes days after the Indian High Commission in Canada announced to cancel some of the planned consular camps following attacks by Khalistani mobs on two such camps in Brampton and Surrey on November 2 and 3.

The Indian Consulate also acknowledged the challenges faced by the elderly members of the Indian diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area "who have been deprived of an essential consular service.”

"Consulate is fully sensitive to the difficulties faced by close to 4,000 elderly members of the diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area- both Indian and Canadian nationals- who have been deprived of an essential consular service,” the statement further read.

Hindu Temple Attacked in Canada

Earlier on November 2, a pro-Khalistan mob entered the premises of a Hindu temple in Brampton and attacked the devotees present there. The Hindu Sabha Temple was organising the consular camp and the Peel Police of Ontario province failed to protect and act against the Khalistani attackers, raising serious security concerns. So far, four people, including a top operative of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), were arrested in connection with the attack.

However, the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistani outfit banned in India, said its supporters were protesting the presence of Indian consular officials who had come to assist in administrative services.

The Indian High Commission was providing Canadian-Indians with essential services which were targeted by anti-India forces.

In the wake of the attacks on the Indian-Canadian community in Brampton, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that consular services faced a major blow due to security concerns and also expressed hope that the camps would continue in other cities.

India-Canada Diplomatic Ties

The diplomatic relations between India and Canada have continuously deteriorated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly levelled allegations against Indian govt of being involved in the murder plot of Khalistani sepratst Hardeep Sing Nijjar on Canadian soil last year. Nijjar was designated as a terrorist by India.

The claims made by Trudeau were vehemently dismissed by India. In response, the Indian govt hit out at the Trudeau administration, accusing it of engaging in appeasement politics and straining India-Canada bilateral ties.