India Canada Relations: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated on Monday that India anticipates taking legal action against individuals responsible for the attacks on its high commission in London and consulate in San Francisco last year, as well as against those who threatened Indian diplomats stationed in Canada.
Dissatisfaction with Canadian System
The minister of external affairs stated that India “got very little comfort from the Canadian system that time” and that as a result, its diplomats were “threatened and intimidated in many ways” and that India had to halt the issuing of visas in Canada.
Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s claims of a “potential” Indian agent role in the murder of Khalistani rebel Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India briefly halted the issuing of visas to Canadian citizens in September of last year.
Visa Services Resumed
A few weeks later, the visa services were once again offered. India categorically denied Trudeau’s accusations. India has maintained that the “core issue” it has with Canada is the country’s accommodation of terrorists, separatists, and other anti-Indian groups.
“We expect the culprits in the attack in our consulate in San Francisco to be brought to book, we expect action against people who stormed into our high commission in London and we expect action against people who threatened our diplomats (in Canada),” Jaishankar said at a summit organised by TV9 Network.
London High Commission Storming
On March 19, last year, some pro-Khalistani forces stormed the Indian high commission in London, while in July, there was an attempted arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. In September, there were threats against the Indian diplomats in Canada.
“We had to suspend issuance of visas in Canada because our diplomats were not safe going to work. Our diplomats were repeatedly threatened. They were intimidated in many ways and we got very little comfort from the Canadian system that time,” Jaishankar said.
“We reached a stage when as a minister, I could not risk exposing the diplomats to the kind of violence which was very clearly prevalent in Canada at that time. That part of it has been rectified. Today, our visa operations are pretty much normal,” he added.
Positive Developments According to Jaishankar
Since then, according to Jaishankar, things have gotten better. He gave examples of smoke bombs being thrown into Indian embassies in Canada in response to a question about the space allotted to Khalistani militants there.
“They (Canada) keep telling us that we are a democracy. There is freedom of speech and, therefore, people say these things,” Jaishankar said. “Freedom of speech cannot extend to intimidating diplomats who are doing their duty. Throwing smoke bombs to embassy and consulates, advocating violence and separatism against a friendly state is not freedom of speech, this is misuse of freedom of speech,” he added.
Call for Accountability
According to Jaishankar, those responsible for these crimes need to be held accountable. “In the UK, we actually saw our high commission being attacked by mobs and honestly we did not get the kind of protection which we expected to get,” Jaishankar said. “Things have improved in the UK. We find today a much firmer response in Australia and in the US,” he added.
“If a receiving state does not investigate and take action against someone who attacks our embassy and consulates, there is a message in it. I do not think it is good for any of these countries to send that kind of message for their own reputation,” Jaishankar said.