India expects action against culprits who threatened our diplomats in Canada: Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India expected action to be taken against culprits involved in "repeatedly threatening and intimidating" its diplomats "in many ways". In September last year, India temporarily suspended issuing visas to Canadian citizens following Trudeau's allegations.
FollowIndia expects action against the culprits involved in last year’s attacks on its high commission in London and consulate in San Francisco as well as those involved in threatening the Indian diplomats in Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said.
The Minister of External Affairs stated that India "got very little comfort from the Canadian system at that time" and that the country had to halt issuing visas to Canadians due to the diplomats' constant "threats and intimidations in many ways."
Shortly after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian operatives may have had a "potential" hand in the murder of Khalistani rebel Hardeep Singh Nijjar in September of last year, India briefly halted issuing visas to Canadian residents. The visa services were resumed several weeks later.
India vehemently disagreed with Trudeau's accusations. India has maintained that the "core issue" it has with Canada is the country's accommodation of terrorists, separatists, and other anti-Indian groups.
Jaishankar stated, "We expect the people responsible for the attack on our consulate in San Francisco to be held accountable, we expect action against those who stormed into our high commission in London, and we expect action against those who threatened our diplomats (in Canada)."
The Indian high commission in London was attacked by certain pro-Khalistani elements in March 19 last year while there was an attempted arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in July.
"Due to the unsafe working environment for our diplomats, we were forced to halt the issuance of visas in Canada. There were frequent threats against our ambassadors. They were intimidated in a lot of ways, and the Canadian system at the time offered us very little solace," according to Jaishankar.
"At a certain point, as a minister, I was unable to take the chance of exposing the diplomats to the type of violence that was evidently common in Canada at the time. It has been fixed in that particular area. Our visa procedures are essentially routine as of right now," he continued.
Since then, according to Jaishankar, things have gotten better. According to Jaishankar, those responsible for these crimes ought to be held accountable.
