Indian Consulate in Toronto announced cancelling some of its scheduled consular camps after the Canadian security authorities failed to provide minimum security protection
Our Bureau
New Delhi/Ottawa
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar 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.
Soon, the Canadian government “blocked” the social media handles and pages of “an important diaspora outlet”. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday lambasted Canada for its “hypocrisy towards freedom of speech,” as Justin Trudeau government “blocked” the social media handles and pages of “an important diaspora outlet” Australia Today, shortly after it broadcast S Jaishankar’s press conference with his counterpart Penny Wong at Canberra.
In the presser, the EAM Jaishankar has slammed Canada for making allegations without any specific evidence, termed “surveillance of Indian diplomats” unacceptable and also highlighted that the “political space has been given in Canada to anti-India elements.”
Adressing the weekly briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We understand that the social media handles, pages of this particular outlet, which is an important diaspora outlet, has been blocked and are not available for viewers in Canada.”
“This happened just an hour or few hours after this particular handle carried the press conference of EAM Dr S Jaishankar with Penny Wong…We were surprised. It looks strange to us.” he added.
“EAM in his media engagements, spoke about three things. One was Canada making allegations and a pattern has developed without any specific evidence. The second thing he highlighted was surveillance of Indian diplomats happening in Canada, which he termed as unacceptable. The third thing which he highlighted was the political space which has been given in Canada to anti-India elements. So, you can draw your conclusions from that, why Australia Today channel was blocked by Canada, “Jaiswal added during the MEA briefing.
During the briefing, Jaiswal also highlighted the recent violence that took place at Hindu Sabha Mandir on November 3 in Brampton, near Toronto.
“You have seen the comments that we made. We condemn the attack on the temple in Brampton. We also called upon the Canadian Govt to uphold the rule of law and to bring to justice people who purported the violence. those. We hope the Canadian Govt will take due action.” Jaiswal said.
Highlighting, the recent events in Canada that have raised security concerns, the MEA spokesperson said the Indian Consulate in Toronto cancelled some scheduled consular camps due to Canadian security authorities’ inability to provide minimum protection.
“You would have seen the message posted by our consulate in Toronto that they have had to cancel the consular camp that they were planning to organize over the weekend because they did not get adequate security or security assurance from the government,” he said.
Earlier, the Indian Consulate in Toronto announced cancelling some of its scheduled consular camps after the Canadian security authorities failed to provide minimum security protection. The announcement by the Indian Consulate was made on the social media platform, X.
In the post it was noted, “In view of the security agencies conveying their inability to provide minimum security protection to the community camp organizers, Consulate has decided to cancel some of the scheduled consular camps”.
The announcement by the Consulate comes merely days after violence disruption was orchestrated by anti-India extremists was seen when the Indian consulate had co-organized a consular camp outside the Hindi Sabha Temple in Brampton, near Toronto.
India registered its protest from the highest echelons with Prime Minister Narendra Modi too expressing anguish over the incident.
The Indian High Commission issued a Press Statement post the violent attacks in Brampton. “The High Commission of India in Ottawa and Consulate Geneal of India in Vancouver and Toronto have organized consular camps for the benefit and ease of local life certificate beneficiaries. One account of the prevailing security situation in Canada, the Canadian authorities had been requested well in advance to provide strong security measures for these events, which constitute routine consular work”.
The High Commission had also said, “It is deeply disappointing to see such disruptions being allowed for routine consular work being organized by our consulates with the fullest cooperation of local co-organizers. We also remain very concerned for the safety of applicants including Indian nationals, on whose demand such events are organized in the first place”.
Previously, there were also attempts to disrupt similar camps held in Vancouver and Surrey on November 2 and 3. The Indian High Commission had stated previously, “In light of these incidents, and with the continued threats posed to the Indian diplomats and officials, local venue organizers as well as local attendees, organization of further scheduled consular camps will be contingent on security arrangements made for them by local authorities”.
The diplomatic riff between India and Canada has seen Canada violating various international norms such as the Vienna Convention, and subjecting Indian diplomats to surveillance against which the Ministry of External Affairs had lodged a formal protest with the Canadian government.
Also, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has strongly condemned the surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, calling it “totally unacceptable.”
While addressing 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.
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.
Elon Musk predicts defeat for Trudeau
Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk took a dig at Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and predicted his downfall in the upcoming Canadian federal election, scheduled to take place on or before October 20, 2025.
“He will be gone in the upcoming election,” posted Musk on X while reacting to a post that said Germany’s “socialist government” had collapsed.
This election will be a significant test for Trudeau, who has been leading the Liberal Party since 2013. Musk’s comment likely stems from Trudeau’s current minority government status, which makes him more vulnerable to losing power.
The election will see Trudeau’s Liberal Party competing against other major parties, including the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, and the New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh. The Bloc Quebecois and the Green Party will also be vying for seats.
Notably, Musk called German Chancellor Olaf Scholz a “fool” after the collapse of his three-party coalition.
Musk posted in German on X: “Olaf ist ein Narr.” The sentence translates to: “Olaf is a fool.”
To this, a user said, “Elon Musk we need your help in Canada getting rid of Trudeau”.
Trudeau’s unpopularity continues to build, as his opponents are gaining traction. Earlier in the day, after the resounding success of the Republican party and Donald Trump in the US elections, the ripple effects of a new ‘conservative government’ are also being felt across the border in Canada. ring unity.
