Canada issued an advisory on Thursday, urging its citizens in India to be wary of “demonstrations, including anti-Canada protests” due to recent diplomatic tensions stemming from the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“In the context of recent developments in Canada and in India, there are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada in traditional media and on social media,” the Canadian advisory read. “Demonstrations, including anti-Canada protests, could occur and Canadians may be subjected to intimidation or harassment,” it added.
This development comes as Canada confirmed that it withdrew 41 diplomats from India. “Canada confirms that India formally communicated its plan to remove immunities unilaterally for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in New Delhi by October 20,” Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement.
Joly added that India’s decision will impact the levels of services to Consulates in both countries. “Unfortunately, we have to put a pause on all in-person services in our Consulates in Chandigarh, in Mumbai and in Bangalore,” she added.
India-Canada ties plunged last month after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of having a link to Nijjar’s killing on Canadian soil. These allegations, which New Delhi has strongly denied, resulted in tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats on both sides.
The Indian government has called the Canadian accusations over the killing “absurd” and advised its nationals not to travel to certain Canadian regions in the wake of the growing anti-Indian activities. New Delhi also temporarily stopped processing visa applications in Canada.
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