India cancels consular camps in Canada citing lack of security
The move follows an attack on Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton on Sunday by pro-Khalistan radicals, who were protesting against a similar camp organised at the temple complex
India said on Thursday it cancelled several consular camps in Toronto as it didn’t receive assurances on protection from Canadian security agencies, even as it reiterated concerns about an increase in attacks and intimidation of Indian diplomats in Canada.
The Indian consulate in Toronto announced “some” scheduled consular camps were being cancelled because of lack of security. This follows an attack on Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton on Sunday by pro-Khalistan radicals, who were protesting against a similar camp organised at the temple complex. The separatists had attacked congregants inside the temple.
The consulate said on X: “In view of the security agencies conveying their inability to provide minimum security protection to the community camp organisers, Consulate has decided to cancel some of the scheduled consular camps.”
In New Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing that the consular camps were cancelled because the Indian side didn’t get “adequate security assurance” from the Canadian government.
While the Indian side had sought security for diplomats participating in the camps, this was “not provided by the Canadian side”, Jaiswal said. He said incidents involving attacks or threatening and intimidation of Indian diplomats in Canada have increased, and this has been taken up strongly with the Canadian side.
Consular camps are organised for the benefit of both Indian nationals and Canadian citizens of Indian origin, especially during the months of November and December. Among the activities at the camps are the issuance of so-called “live certificates”, needed for continuation of pensions in India, attestation of documents for students, and passport-related matters.
Jaiswal said other consular camps at locations such as Vancouver will go ahead as planned since they are conducted at the request of organisations representing the Indian community. “Where the community organisation is comfortable, we will go ahead with these consular camps,” he said.
The violence by pro-Khalistan radicals at the Hindu temple in Brampton was condemned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described it as a “deliberate attack” in a post on X earlier this week. The Indian side also called on the Canadian government to uphold the rule of law and to prosecute those responsible for the violence.
“We hope the government of Canada will take strong action against the perpetrators and uphold the rule of law. That is our expectation,” Jaiswal said.
The attack on the temple was also condemned by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Leader of Opposition Pierre Poilievre.
At the time, India’s high commission in Ottawa said more than 1,000 “live certificates” were issued despite the disruption at the temple in Brampton. However, it said future camps will be “contingent on security arrangements made for them by local authorities”.
Ten consular camps were scheduled for November though it isn’t known how many were cancelled. The camps were scheduled at several locations, including temples and gurdwaras, in Brampton and Mississauga near Toronto, in the towns of Windsor, Oakville, London and Kitchener in Ontario, and Halifax in Nova Scotia.
The attack on Sunday gave rise to tensions as it left the Hindu community furious. Nearly 5,000 Indo-Canadians staged a rally on Monday to protest the attack. It was ultimately declared “unlawful” by local police and cleared. An off-duty officer was suspended by Peel Regional Police (PRP) for participating in the pro-Khalistan protest, while four persons were arrested.
As tensions over the attack and its aftermath remain, PRP said on Tuesday it will increase “visible presence in areas of community significance”. It added that they “appreciate that as this situation develops, the fear, anger and tensions felt within communities are also escalating”.
That reported violence, those present at the protest said, was instigated when some of those gathered were pepper-sprayed from a car, leading to anger with some hotheads attacking the vehicle with sticks. In a release on Tuesday, PRP sought “public’s assistance to identify an individual who sprayed a noxious substance during a protest in Brampton”.
Secessionist groups have called for a “Khalistan rally against Indian extremists” on Sunday.