Amid rising tensions, India cancels more consular camps in Canada, says...

India has cancelled more consular camps in Canada amid rising tensions between the two countries. New Delhi said that the camps were cancelled since Canadian security agencies were unable to provide even the "minimum security against heightened threats."

The Consulate General of India in Toronto also said that most of these camps were not held at any places of worship, including one at a Police facility. 

"Due to continued inability conveyed by security agencies to provide minimum security against heightened threats, Consulate has had to cancel some more consular camps. Most of them were not at any places of worship, including one at a Police facility. Consulate is fully sensitive to the difficulties faced by close to 4,000 elderly members of the diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area- both Indian and Canadian nationals- who have been deprived of an essential consular service," the Consulate General of India said. 

Besides this, the Consulate General of India in Vancouver announced that it will postpone its consular camp scheduled for November 24 at Surrey's Lakshmi Narayan Temple to December 1. 

"It will now be held on 1 Dec 2024 at Aria Banquet & Convention Centre, 12350 Pattullo pl. Surrey, BC V3V 8C3 between 9 am and 1 pm," as per the Indian Consulate.

The latest move comes days after the Indian High Commission in Canada decided to cancel some of the consular camps after Khalistani mobs attacked two such camps in Brampton and Surrey on November 2 and 3. 

On November 2, a Khalistani mob entered the premises of the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton and attacked devotees. The temple organised a consular camp and the Peel Police failed to protect the devotees and act against the mob. 

After the attack, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that consular services were impacted due to security concerns while expressing hope that the camps would continue in other cities. 

Banned pro-Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) said that its supporters protested the presence of Indian consular officials who came to assist in administrative services. 

India and Canada's relations have been strained since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian agents were involved in taking down of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. New Delhi refuted Ottawa's allegations and accused the Trudeau administration of indulging in appeasement politics.