The Consulate General of India in Toronto announced the extension of essential consular services for Indian nationals residing in Canada-- a day after New Delhi announced to temporary halt of visa services for Canadian citizens.
In a social media post, it said that the consular services for Indian nationals in Canada, such as passport issuance, passport renewal, police clearance certificate and attestation, will continue to facilitate and assist Indian citizens.
The major development came on the backdrop of soaring tensions between India and Canada following "baseless" and "politically motivated" allegations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. At the House of Commons, Trudeau, on Monday, alleged that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Indian-origin Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in June this year.
India issued a travel advisory for Canada
Earlier on Wednesday, India issued a travel advisory, wherein it cautioned Indian nations and students to refrain from visiting Ottawa rising amid hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada. Sharing the advisory on the social media platform, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi alerted Indian citizens and students to refrain from travelling to Ottawa amid the fact that anti-India activities, hate crimes and criminal violence are on the zenith.
The official emphasised how Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the vested interests, have suffered serious threats in Canada.
'Indo-Hindu leave Canada, go to India', warns Khalistani terrorist
Earlier on Wednesday, a pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in a video message, warned Hindus living in Canada and asked them to leave the country as soon as possible. "Indo-Hindu leave Canada; go to India. You not only support India, but you are also supporting the suppression of speech and expression of pro-Khalistan Sikhs," SFJ’s legal counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannu said in a video that went viral on social media platforms.
Further, he appealed to all the Sikhs to accumulate in Surrey, Vancouver on October 29 to vote: "Whether Indian High Commissioner Verma is responsible for the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar?"
Notably, Pannu, a top member of Sikhs for Justice, an outlawed organisation in India, was designated as a wanted terrorist in 2020.
