Canada is becoming a safe haven for terrorists and extremists: India hits out at Trudeau
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Amid the soaring tensions between India and Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs, on Thursday said that New Delhi has raised concerns about the ongoing developments related to the killing of Khalistani terrorists in Ottawa and tagged the allegations as “politically motivated”.
While addressing a press conference on the ongoing Canada issue, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Ottawa has not shared any proof of the allegations levelled by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the link between the killing of a Khalistani supporter Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Indian agents.
He categorically rejected the claims made by Trudeau at the House of Commons and said it has hurt the relations between the two nations.
MEA on suspension of Indian visa for Canadian citizens
While answering the question on the suspension of Indian visas for Canadians, the MEA said Indian High Commission consulates in Canada were temporarily unable to process visa applications as work was disrupted due to security issues. Also, he said the suspension is applicable to all categories of visas including the e-visa facility.
Earlier today, New Delhi suspended visa services for Canadian nationals. According to reports, India has also ordered to minimise the strength of diplomatic staff in Ottawa in order to secure them from threats posed by Khalistani terror groups and social media platforms.
BLS International, which runs the visa application centres in Canada, published a message on its Canadian site. “Important notice from the Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21st September 2023 [Thursday], Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice,” read the notice. Notably, earlier, India had suspended visa services for Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further, commenting on the issue of Indian students in Canada, the MEA spokesperson clarified there is no special plan to take back them but suggested staying vigilant. Also, he clarified, that
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The major development between the two nations came as PM Trudeau, who had recently visited New Delhi for the G20 Summit where he held a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, alleged that Canadian intelligence agencies have “credible” information about the involvement of New Delhi in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Even, while addressing the Canadian Parliament on Monday, Trudeau claimed that he had raised the issue with PM Modi during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
Subsequently, Canadian FM announced the expulsion of an Indian diplomat. Soon after her announcement, India released a statement where it condemned the “baseless” allegations levelled by PM Trudeau.
“Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it wrote in a statement issued earlier today.
As the matter turned a diplomatic chaos, Trudeau said he was not trying to provoke New Delhi but rather wanted his Indian counterpart to address the issue properly.
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