Indian diplomats in Canada under surveillance: MEA

India on Thursday strongly condemned the surveillance of its diplomats in Canada, calling it "totally unacceptable."

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi greets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Bharat Mandapam, September 9, 2023. Photograph: Evan Vucci/Pool via Reuters

While adressing the briefing in New Delhi External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the increased threats against Indian diplomats in Canada, citing instances of harassment, intimidation, and surveillance.

"Indian diplomats are being put under surveillance, which is totally unacceptable. The EAM also has spoken about it. We had also taken up the matter very strongly with the Canadian side on it," said Jaiswal.

"Over the last year or even more, the kind of things that we have seen attacking Indian diplomats, threatening, intimidating, harassing Indian diplomats...Yes, the threats have increased," he added.

The MEA spokesperson said India has asked for security for their diplomats for the consular camp which has not been provided by the Canadian side.

"We had asked for security to be provided for our diplomats where the consular camp was to be held and those have not been provided by the Canadian side," he said.

This development follows tensions between India and Canada regarding the alleged involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.

In recent years, Canada has witnessed a surge in Khalistani extremist activities, including violent protests and attacks on Hindu temples.

An Indian consular camp at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada's Brampton witnessed a "violent disruption" on Sunday in Brampton, near Toronto. The incident sparked widespread criticism in and outside Canada.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the "deliberate attack" on a Hindu temple in Canada and said that "cowardly attempts to intimidate" Indian diplomats were appalling and New Delhi expects Canadian authorities to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law

The ties between India and Canada took a sharp downturn following Canadian leaders making allegations without providing evidence about an assassination on their soil.