The Canadian High Commission, consulates in India
are open, operational and continue to serve clients, informed the High
Commission.
The Canadian High Commission said Global Affairs
Canada continuously monitors the safety and security of “our missions and
personnel as we maintain a strict security protocol to respond to any events.”
It said, “In light of the current environment where
tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our
diplomats. With some diplomats having received threats on various social media
platforms, Global Affairs Canada is assessing its staff in India.”
Global Affairs Canada is the department of the
Government of Canada that manages Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations.
The Canadian High Commission said it has decided to
temporarily adjust staff present in India.
“All of our locations are staffed by diplomats and
locally engaged staff to ensure business and operational continuity,” it said.
Global Affairs Canada will continue to take all
appropriate measures to protect the health and safety of all our personnel,
including locally engaged staff, and to protect our operations in India.
Decisions are made based on a number of factors including the professional
profile of an employee or personal circumstances, the high commission said.
“In the context of respect for obligations under the
Vienna conventions, we expect India to provide for the security of our
accredited diplomats and consular officers in India, just as we are for theirs
here,” it said.
Indo Canada relations dipped after Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday alleged that the Indian Government was behind
the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Najjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was
gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British
Columbia on June 18.
Trudeau during a debate in the Canadian Parliament,
claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents
of the Indian Government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who
also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
The allegations made by the Canadian Prime Minister
and foreign minister were rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs in India
which dubbed the statements as absurd.
“We have seen and reject the statement of the
Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their
Foreign Minister. Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act
of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated” the statement said.
On Wednesday, Indian nationals, students in Canada
and those planning on travelling to the country were advised to exercise
caution. Indian nationals and Indian students in Canada were advised to avoid
travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen growing
anti-India activities, according to a release issued by the Ministry of
External Affairs.
Indian students in Canada have been particularly
advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant.
ANI
