Indian Government advises all Indians, including students, living in Canada to register themselves with missions
Our Bureau
Toronto
In retaliation to a revised travel advisory issued by Canada on Tuesday, India has also released a fresh travel advisory asking all Indian nationals in Canada and those contemplating travel there, especially Indian students, “to exercise utmost caution in view of growing anti-India activities and politically condoned hate crimes and criminal violence”.
“Recently, threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents.”
The travel advisory has also asked Indian nationals and students in Canada to register with the High Commission of India in Ottawa or the Consulates General of India in Toronto and Vancouver through their respective websites, or the MADAD portal madad.gov.in for facilitating Indian citizens in Canada in case of any emergency or untoward incident.
“Our High Commission will continue to be in contact with the Canadian authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Canada,” said a travel advisory issued by India on Wednesday.
In comparison to the Indian advisory, the new Canadian version asked its citizens to be cautious while travelling to Manipur and take precautions to avoid natural disasters and Covid along with a warning against travelling to the northeast, UT of JandK and border areas of Pakistan.
This diplomatic tussle is a fallout of the deteriorating ties between the two nations following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
Nijjar supported a Sikh homeland in the form of an independent Khalistani state and was designated by India as a “terrorist” in July 2020.
The Canadian PM allegation was rejected by India as “absurd” and “motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Canada’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case.
India believes that Canada, which is home to 770,000 Sikhs, the largest Sikh population outside of Punjab, is soft on the Khalistan issue and provided shelter to Khalistani terrorists and extremists who threaten India’s security.
