India-Canada row: Ottawa updates travel advisory for citizens in India

Canada has updated its travel advisory for its citizens in India asking them to “stay vigilant and exercise caution” as the row over killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar escalated between the two countries. “In the context of recent developments in Canada and in India, there are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada on social media. Please remain vigilant and exercise caution,” the Canadian government said in an updated advisory. The ties between India and Canada strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed “potential” contribution of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar in British Columbia on 18 June. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020. India furiously dismissed the charges as “absurd” and “motivated” and removed a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s ejection of an Indian diplomat over the issue. The revised Canadian advisory came after New Delhi issued a similar advisory for Indian nationals and students living in Canada and halted visa services late last week. India has accused Canada of not acting upon “specific evidence about criminal activities” done by Canada-based individuals. Meanwhile, Khalistani sympathisers on Tuesday protested outside the Indian embassies and consulates in Canada’s Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver over Nijjar’s killing. Protesters - led by the members of a pro-Khalistani outfit -‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) - were seen raising slogans and waving Khalistani flags. With inputs from agencies