India cancels consular camps in Canada after authorities' 'inability’ to provide security against ‘heightened threats’

The Indian Consulate in Canada’s Toronto has cancelled some more scheduled consular camps, including one at a police facility, after the Canadian authorities conveyed their “continued inability to provide minimum security against heightened threats” to the organisers.

In a notification, the Consulate General of India, Toronto informed: “Due to continued inability conveyed by security agencies to provide minimum security against heightened threats, the 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."

The consulate, in the statement, further said that it 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.”

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UPDATE ON CONSULAR CAMPS:
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.… pic.twitter.com/a3c9gQMaBd

— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) November 21, 2024

This comes amid ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada.

The cancelling of the camp in Toronto also comes days after the Indian High Commission in Canada cancelled some of the scheduled consular camps after attacks by Khalistani supporters on such camps in Brampton, Surrey and Vancouver.

On November 3, a mob of Khalistani supporters barged into the premises of the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton and attacked devotees, including women and children. The temple was holding a consular camp and the Peel Police of Ontario province failed to protect as well as act against the attackers.

Also Read: Video | In Canada temple, Hindus, including women, kids, beaten by Khalistanis; lawmakers say 'completely unacceptable'

After the attack, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a banned pro-Khalistani group led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, claimed its supporters were protesting the presence of Indian consular officials who had come to assist in administrative services.

The incident was condemned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also by his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.

What are consular camps?

Consular camps are routine operations that are often organised by the Indian diplomatic missions in Canada, including the High Commission in Ottawa and the Consulates in Vancouver and Toronto, to assist Indians with various services, such as life certificates.

India-Canada diplomatic ties have deteriorated after Canadian PM Trudeau, in September last year, alleged that Indian agents were involved in the murder plot of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Sing Nijjar in June 2023.

India strongly denied these allegations and slammed the Trudeau administration, accusing it of indulging in appeasement politics.

With inputs from agencies.