The claim made by Justin Trudeau that Indian officials were involved in the murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar stoked tensions and led to a diplomatic discharge this week.
Despite Ottawa’s announcement that it was temporarily modifying staff presence in India to guarantee the safety of diplomats in response to threats made on social media, New Delhi has temporarily blocked visa services for Canadian citizens due to the increased tensions between the two nations.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation of Indian involvement in Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing heightened the tensions and triggered a diplomatic row, and tit-for-tat expulsions of senior diplomats this week.
No formal announcement of the suspension of visa services was made even as BLS International, which runs the visa application centers in Canada, posted a message on its Canadian website in this regard. “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.”
An Indian official confirmed the suspension but refused to comment further. “The language is clear and it says what it is intended to say.” This is the first time India has suspended visas since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Indian High Commission’s website could not be accessed late on Wednesday for confirmation as it appeared to be down.
The suspension followed India’s advisory on Wednesday asking its citizens in Canada to exercise utmost caution due to growing anti-India activities and “politically-condoned hate crimes”. Indian students have particularly been advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant.
Nijjar was gunned down in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara that he headed in the town of Surrey in the province of British Columbia. He was the principal figure of the secessionist outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in the province. SFJ has blamed India for the assassination
A spokesperson for Canada’s foreign ministry told the Canadian newspaper The National Post that some diplomats received threats on social media platforms. “…Global Affairs Canada [the foreign ministry] is assessing its staff complement in India. As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India. All of our locations are staffed by diplomats and locally engaged staff to ensure business and operational continuity.”
Your blog is a breath of fresh air in the crowded online space. I appreciate the unique perspective you bring to every topic you cover. Keep up the fantastic work!