Several consular camps aimed at issuing life certificates to the Indian pensioners have been canceled by the Consulate General of India in Toronto due to security reasons. The Consulate had reason to fear that such camps would not receive the minimum level of protection from the security agencies, following some recent violent incidents that have been linked to Khalistani extremists.
"In view of the security agencies conveying their inability to provide minimum security protection to the community camp organisers, the Consulate has decided to cancel some of the scheduled consular camps," said the Consulate General in an X post.
In the aftermath of Friday's violent clashes between protesters waving Khalistani flags and others at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, it has been reported that the consular event that the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate had co-coordinated will be cancelled. Such a step would mean that for yet another instance of violence directed against Hindu establishments in Canada, not much would have been done to stop such rampage attacks.
On November 4, India voiced deep concern over the safety of its citizens in Canada following these incidents. The Minister of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said violence had erupted at the Hindu Sabha Temple and appealed to the authorities in Canada to ensure religious places are safe and the culprits are brought before the courts.
"We are concerned as much today as we were in the past regarding the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada. The outreach of our Consular officers to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment, and violence," Jaiswal said.
The High Commission of India in Ottawa was also disappointed with the fact that another consular camp in Brampton was disrupted due to anti-India protests.
"It is most unfortunate to have permitted such diversions for what is essentially routine consular work," it said, while noting that despite these diversionary tactics, over 1,000 life certificates were issued to applicants. Anti-India protests also took place at consular camps in Vancouver and Surrey on November 2 and 3.
The Canadian National Council of Hindus (CNCH), Hindu Federation, temple leaders, and other advocacy groups soon issued a directive that no politician would be allowed in temple facilities for political purposes unless they had made "concrete efforts" to curb the rising threat of Khalistani extremism in Canada.
This move reflects growing apprehensions in the Hindu community of Canada over religious intolerance that is on the rise since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
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