Canada says no to NIA probe, but promises diplomats’ safety

“There is no place in Canada for the incitement of violence. Law enforcement has been engaged following the circulation of an online video in relation to threats against Indian diplomatic officials,” Public Safety Canada said on social media”. 

New Delhi: While turning down South Block suggestions for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe recent incidents in Canada involving Khalistani separatists, Ontario has said it is working to ensure the safety and security of all diplomatic representatives, including Indian diplomats, a special report by Sandeep Dikshit in The Tribune, Chandigarh, says

“There is no place in Canada for the incitement of violence. Law enforcement has been engaged following the circulation of an online video in relation to threats against Indian diplomatic officials,” Public Safety Canada said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) when the indications were sent about the Indian Government’s desire to send an NIA team.

“Canadian law enforcement and the Government continue to work to ensure the safety and security of all diplomatic representatives in Canada,” it said last week.

Ontario, however, has been amused by suggestions that appeared as reports in the media here about the intention of an NIA team to visit Canada after videos and posters appeared threatening the safety of some Indian diplomats whom they held responsible for the murder of separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjer in June this year.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had earlier said that countries such as Canada, the UK and the US had been asked not to give space to extremist Khalistani ideology. 

Meanwhile, India has posted two of the diplomats named by the Khalistanis out of Canada to other countries though that can be explained as routine transfers. Canada and India have started interacting on the possibility of expanding trade as well as enabling the investment by Canadian pension funds into India.

During her visit to India last month, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly had assured India of the safety of its diplomats and termed the “promotional material” circulating ahead of a Khalistan rally “unacceptable”. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also refuted Jaishankar’s statement about inaction against separatists.

In June, India assailed Canada after visuals surfaced on social media of a tableau in Brampton that reportedly celebrated the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi.

Canada’s response to the Khalistani issue appeared to be constrained by its “vote bank compulsions”, and India will have to respond if the activities impinge on its national security and integrity, Jaishankar had said on the issue. 

*******************************************************

Readers

These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.

Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world.  We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.

Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.

In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.

For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here