Harassment And Intimidation, India Claims Officials In Canada Are Being Monitored

Amid a deepening diplomatic crisis, the Indian government has leveled serious allegations against Canada, claiming that Canadian authorities have engaged in surveillance of Indian consular staff. On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed strong condemnation of Ottawa’s actions, stating that it had lodged a protest in the “strongest possible terms” following comments made by a Canadian minister regarding Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The controversy intensified after Canada’s Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison suggested in a parliamentary session that a high-ranking official within Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was implicated in schemes to attack Sikh separatists residing in Canada. This assertion drew a swift and sharp rebuke from Indian officials, emphasizing that the allegations were “absurd and baseless” and warning of severe repercussions for bilateral relations.

Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the MEA, revealed that some Indian consular officials had been informed by the Canadian government that they were under audio and video surveillance. Jaiswal characterized these actions as harassment and intimidation, saying, “Our diplomatic and consular personnel are already functioning in an environment of extremism and violence.”

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He further elaborated that the Canadian government’s justifications, which cited technicalities, could not obscure the fact that such surveillance practices constituted a clear violation of diplomatic norms. Jaiswal stated that intercepting communications significantly hampers the ability to uphold established diplomatic protocols.

The current diplomatic standoff began last month after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that certain Indian agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in September 2023. This allegation prompted India to recall its High Commissioner in Ottawa and other diplomats deemed targeted. In retaliation, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, a move that India mirrored in kind.

Since these events, the two nations have engaged in a war of words marked by a series of accusations and counter-accusations. The diplomatic friction shows no signs of abating, with both governments standing firm in their positions.

The situation has raised concerns about the broader implications for diplomatic relations and cooperation between India and Canada, two countries with significant ties in trade, education, and cultural exchange. As tensions escalate, observers are left wondering how this diplomatic impasse will unfold and what it means for the future of Indian-Canadian relations.

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