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NEW DELHI — Canada’s embassy in India stated Thursday it will “briefly alter workers presence” to guard its diplomats from threats, as a dispute between the 2 nations escalates over the killing of a Sikh separatist chief in British Columbia.
The Canadian Excessive Fee in India stated in an electronic mail that it was taking this motion after some diplomats “obtained threats on varied social media platforms” and “in mild of the present setting the place tensions have heightened.”
The assertion adopted an up to date journey advisory from India’s International Ministry urging its residents to “train excessive warning” when touring in Canada. An Indian visa processing firm on Thursday additionally stated visa providers for Canadian residents have been suspended in an “necessary discover from the Indian mission” on its web site.
Tensions are rising after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian brokers could have been concerned within the capturing of Sikh chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and Canada expelled an Indian diplomat it recognized as a senior intelligence officer.
Trudeau says ‘credible allegations’ tie India to killing in Canada
Since Trudeau’s explosive speech to Parliament, the dispute this week has resulted in a tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats and introduced relations all the way down to their lowest level.
India has denied Trudeau’s accusation, describing it as “absurd and motivated” whereas accusing Canada of an anti-Indian agenda.
In its journey advisory, India’s Exterior Affairs Ministry cited what it stated have been “anti-India actions and politically-condoned hate crimes” within the nation. “All Indian nationals there and people considering journey are urged to train utmost warning,” the ministry stated.
Dominic LeBlanc, the Canadian Minister of Public Security, dismissed the advisory, calling Canada a protected nation. “I took observe of India’s journey advisory. Individuals can learn into that what they need,” he instructed reporters on Wednesday.
BLS Worldwide, the Indian firm that processes visa functions in Canada, cited “operational causes” for the suspension of visa providers “until additional discover,” with out elaborating.
Indian anger towards Canada grows over perceived assist of separatist Sikhs
India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs declined to supply speedy touch upon Thursday.
Canada’s Excessive Fee in India stated the embassy and all consulates in India remained open and operational however that it was evaluating workers security.
“We count on India to supply for the safety of our accredited diplomats and consular officers in India, simply as we’re for theirs right here,” it stated in an emailed assertion.
A Canadian citizen who was born in India, Nijjar was shot useless in June by masked gunmen outdoors a Sikh temple which he led in Surrey, British Columbia.
Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh separatist killed in Canada?
The 45-year-old Nijjar, who was wished by India on terrorism fees, championed the Khalistan motion calling for creating an unbiased Sikh state within the Punjab area of India. The motion is outlawed in India, the place authorities contemplate it a prime risk to nationwide safety.
Because the rift has escalates, Trudeau stated earlier this week that Canada was not “seeking to provoke or escalate,” calling on India to take significantly what he has described as “credible allegations.”
“We’re merely laying out the information as we perceive them, and we need to work with the federal government of India,” he instructed reporters.
India has lengthy accused the Canadian authorities of sympathizing with Sikh separatists equivalent to Nijjar, whom it thought-about a terrorist, whereas Canada has denied these claims.
Months earlier than Nijjar’s killing, India ramped up strain on Canada, Australia, Britain and the US — house to vital Sikh communities and frequent pro-Khalistan demonstrations — to crack down on the motion, together with by breaking apart protests outdoors India’s diplomatic outposts.
Francis reported from London. Karishma Mehrotra in New Delhi and Andrew Jeong in Seoul contributed to this report.
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