Indian diplomats in Canada put under surveillance, not acceptable: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has strongly condemned the surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, calling it “totally unacceptable.”

While adressing the briefing on Thursday, Jaiswal highlighted the increased threats against Indian diplomats in Canada, citing instances of harassment, intimidation, and surveillance.

“Indian diplomats are being put under surveillance, which is totally unacceptable. EAM also has spoken about it. We had also taken up the matter very strongly with the Canadian side on it,” said Jaiswal.

“Over the last year or even more, the kind of things that we have seen attacking Indian diplomats, threatening, intimidating, harassing Indian diplomats…Yes, the threats have increased,” he added.

Further the MEA spokesperson said India has asked for security for their diplomats for the consular camp which has not been provided by the Canadian side.

“We had asked for security to be provided for our diplomats where the consular camp was to be held and those have not been provided by the Canadian side,” he said.

This development follows tensions between India and Canada regarding the alleged involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.

In recent years, Canada has witnessed a surge in Khalistani extremist activities, including violent protests and attacks on Hindu temples.

An Indian consular camp at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada’s Brampton witnessed a “violent disruption” on Sunday in Brampton, near Toronto. The incident sparked widespread criticism in and outside Canada.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the “deliberate attack” on a Hindu temple in Canada and said that “cowardly attempts to intimidate” Indian diplomats were appalling and New Delhi expects Canadian authorities to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law

The ties between India and Canada took a sharp downturn following Canadian leaders making allegations without providing evidence about an assassination on their soil.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is in Australia, on Tuesday expressed concerns about the attack on the Hindu temple in Canada and said the incident shows how “political space” is being given to the “extremist forces” in the country.

“What happened yesterday at the Hindu temple in Canada was deeply concerning. You should have seen the statement by our official spokesperson and also the expression of concern by our PM yesterday. That should convey to you how deeply we feel about it,” Jaishankar said at a joint press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Notably, India also summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission earlier this month and handed a diplomatic note in which the government protested in the strongest terms to the “absurd and baseless” references made to Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in Ottawa by Deputy Minister David Morrison.