26-Sep-2023, 12:42 PM
In a shocking turn of events, India suspended its visa services for Canada on Thursday, leaving from many travellers and hopeful migrants in a state of risk and confusion. This unexpected move comes as a shock to those who were planning to visit or relocate to the Great White North. On Wednesday, New Delhi issued a consultative order to Indian nationals in Canada, including students, to exercise the utmost carefulness while traveling in the country. “In view of growing anti-India pursuits and politically-conducted hate crimes, as well as criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there and those looking at travel are urged to exercise the utmost caution. Recently, threats have specifically targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda.
As India has paused processing visas in Canada, the BLS Indian visa application centre is not giving many details other than issuing a statement that says due to operational reasons, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice. BLS is the agency that processes visa requests for India, and this ratchets up the diplomatic rift between the two countries that began on Monday when Prime Minister Trudeau stood up in Parliament and raised allegations of possible Indian government involvement in the murder of a sick leader in British Columbia in June. India has called those allegations absurd and politically motivated, as India has issued a travel warning to its citizens to use caution in Canada. The advisory claimed there are growing anti-Indian activities in Canada. Threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda.
Mention in the above line that on Monday, Canada started a fight with India. Justic Trudeau stood up in their parliament, spoke about the death of a Khalistani terrorist, tried to lay the blame on India's doorstep, and expelled an Indian diplomat. As New Delhi reacted with fury in the tit-for-tat move, it expelled a Canadian diplomat. Trudeau then sought help for his allies; he wanted a statement of condition. The move boomeranged, and instead of support, he got a question: Where is the proof of India’s involvement? Three days later, Trudeau’s strategy is unrevealing. He was hoping to corner India, but with his stunts, he's painted himself in a corner.
What Did Canadian PM Trudeau Say About Nijjar’s Killing?
Canada and India are locked in a growing diplomatic row over the killing of a Sikh activist. The two countries have expelled diplomats after Canadian Prime Minister Justic Trueau accused Indian government agents of involvement in the death of Hadip Singh. A Canadian citizen was gunned down outside a cultural centre in British Columbia in June. Nija was a prominent campaigner for a certain Sikh state independent from India, as Delhi has rejected the Canadian's suggestion of involvement in his death as absurd and accused Canada of sheltering terrorists.
On Monday, Trudeau told the Canadian Parliament that there were credible allegations linking Indian agents to the murder. Here’s some of what he said in the words of Trueau: "Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of Canadian citizens on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty; it is contrary to the fundamental rules by which free, open, and democratic societies conduct themselves as you would, except we've been working closely and coordinating with our allies on this very serious matter.”
Who Was Khalistani Leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was one of India’s most wanted terrorists. He was fatally shot on June 18 outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Justin Trudeau claims he was killed by Indian government agents. Nijjar hails from Bharsinghpur village in Punjab, Jalandhar. The address of Hardeep Singh Nijjar was Bharsignghpura Tehsil Phillaur, Punjab. He is presently residing at 12551 89-A AVE, Surrey, BC, 1 A9, Canada. He was declared an ‘absconder’ by the NIA and had a Rs 10 lakh reward on his head.
Nijjar was designated a ‘terrorist’ under the unlawful activities prevention act in July 2020, and an interpol road corner notice was issued against him in 2016. Nijjar was a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement. India announced a cash reward for information leading to his arrest, alleging his involvement in an attack on a priest. The dispute between Canada and India over Nijjar’s murder has strained diplomatic ties, with India rejecting Canadian allegations and urging legal action against anti-Indian elements. Khalistani activity in Canada has been a source of concern for India, impacting trade negotiations.
Row Over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s Killing
When Justin Trudeau was in New York for a meeting of the UN General Assembly, he wouldn’t run into India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, who had not attended the meeting, but Trudeau is figuring out how many of his Canadian allies are joining in on the accusation about India.
Don and Canadian allies have to go nearly as far as the prime minister of Australia, probably going in the furthest, saying they raised this with the senior levels of the Indian government, but the UK and the Americans have not gone that far. Saying they are in converse action with Canadian allies but not calling out Indians specifically on this issue. The White House responded warily, with Public safety Board representative Adrienne Watson saying the organization was "profoundly concerned" and approached India to help out the Canadian examination. A US official recognized the charges represent an issue for Biden, who just left India with relations apparently on target.
Presently the episode takes steps to overturn the US's work to court India as a stabilizer to China, which was in plain view at the Gathering of 20 culmination in New Delhi recently. The US and its partners had hailed Modi's outcome in arriving at a think twice about a joint report, tolerating milder language on Russia's conflict in Ukraine to adjust itself all the more extensively with India in the fight with China for impact among major arising economies.
What Is Happening Between India and Canada?
Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijar, who was shot and killed on Canadian soil in June, escalating tensions between India and Canada. As India has rejected Trudeau's parliamentary statements, both Canada and India have expelled their diplomatic counterparts. As Canadians, we believe that we will protect Canadian sovereignty, which is also why today they expelled a top Indian diplomat from Canada.
As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declines to do that activity, the Canadian government is saying But at the same point the canadian gov is against the indian gov. The Canadian government is totally against what ever happened with Hardeep Singh Nijjar, as he was a Canadian citizen and he was killed on the soil of Canada. Thats why the Canadian government is taking action for him.