 "'Exercise utmost caution': India issues advisory on travel to Canada")
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday issued an advisory urging Indian nationals in Canada, and those planning to visit, to exercise utmost caution due to escalating 'anti-India activities and politically condoned hate crimes.'
"Given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, particularly targeting Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community opposing the anti-India agenda, students are advised to remain vigilant," said the MEA.
Indian students have been directed to register with the Indian High Commission in Ottawa or the Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver to facilitate communication in emergencies. Currently, there are 226,450 Indian students in Canada, comprising 34 per cent of all foreign students, along with 1.8 million citizens of Indian origin.
The MEA's advisory followed an announcement by leaders of the banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who revealed plans to conduct another referendum on the Khalistan issue on September 29 in Vancouver. Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, designated a terrorist by India, released a video urging Indian-origin Hindu Canadians to leave Canada and also issued threats against Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma.
Previously, SFJ had organised a referendum in Vancouver on September 8, coinciding with a scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau during the G20 Summit in Delhi.
India's advisory can also be seen as a response to Canada's travel warning for its citizens contemplating visits to India. "Exercise a high degree of caution in India due to the threat of terrorist attacks throughout the country," Canada had stated.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the New Parliament House on Wednesday. Jaishankar had also addressed the matter with his Canadian counterpart Mélanie Joly in July, after which Canadian security services increased protection at the High Commission and Verma's residence.
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Tensions between the two countries intensified when Justin Trudeau, during an emergency session of the Canadian Parliament, stated that national security authorities were investigating allegations that 'agents of the Indian government' had killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a known Khalistani terrorist.
Labelled a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020, Nijjar became a Canadian citizen in 2015. He was killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June and was suspected to be the head of the Khalistan Tiger Force, designated a terrorist organisation in February 2023.
India rebutted Trudeau's allegations as 'absurd and motivated,' accusing Canada of providing shelter to Khalistani terrorists and extremists who threaten India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The situation further deteriorated when Canada expelled Pavan Kumar Rai, posted as Minister (eco, coordination, community affairs) at the Indian High Commission in Ottawa. In a tit-for-tat move, New Delhi reciprocated by expelling Olivier Sylvester, whom sources identified as a Canadian intelligence officer attached to the Canadian High Commission.
Congress joins BJP in dismissing suspicions
The Congress party on Wednesday backed the government’s rejection of Canada’s suspicions that New Delhi’s agents had links to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, and urged a stand against threats to the country’s sovereignty. India had dismissed Canada’s assertion as absurd in a row that is worsening. Reuters