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NATION NOVEMBER 15, 2024 | The Indian Eye 6

INDIA-CANADA RELATIONS

From bad to worse: Blocking of

Dr Jaishankar’s comments, attacks on Consular

camps and surveillance of Indian diplomats

Indian Consulate in Toronto announced cancelling some of its scheduled consular camps

after the Canadian security authorities failed to provide minimum security protection

OUR BUREAU Toronto.
“You have seen the comments
New Delhi/Ottawa
that we made. We condemn the at-
xternal Affairs Minister S Jais- tack on the temple in Brampton. We
hankar on Tuesday expressed also called upon the Canadian Govt
Econcerns about the attack on to uphold the rule of law and to bring
the Hindu temple in Canada and to justice people who purported the
said the incident shows how “political violence. those. We hope the Canadi-
space” is being given to the “extrem- an Govt will take due action.” Jaiswal
ist forces” in the country. said.
“What happened yesterday at the Highlighting, the recent events
Hindu temple in Canada was deeply in Canada that have raised security
concerning. You should have seen concerns, the MEA spokesperson
the statement by our official spokes- said the Indian Consulate in Toronto
person and also the expression of cancelled some scheduled consular
concern by our PM yesterday. That camps due to Canadian security au-
should convey to you how deeply we thorities’ inability to provide mini-
feel about it,” Jaishankar said at a mum protection.
joint press conference with Austra- “You would have seen the mes-
lian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. sage posted by our consulate in To-
Soon, the Canadian government ronto that they have had to cancel the
“blocked” the social media handles consular camp that they were plan-
and pages of “an important diaspo- ning to organize over the weekend
ra outlet”. The Ministry of External because they did not get adequate se-
Affairs (MEA) on Thursday lam- curity or security assurance from the
basted Canada for its “hypocrisy to- government,” he said.
wards freedom of speech,” as Justin Earlier, the Indian Consulate in
Trudeau government “blocked” the Toronto announced cancelling some
social media handles and pages of of its scheduled consular camps af-
“an important diaspora outlet” Aus- ter the Canadian security authorities
tralia Today, shortly after it broadcast A massive crowd gather outside Hindu Sabha Mandir in solidarity with the temple and the failed to provide minimum security
S Jaishankar’s press conference with protection. The announcement by
his counterpart Penny Wong at Can- Hindu community after an attack on November 3, in Brampton on Monday (ANI) the Indian Consulate was made on
berra. the social media platform, X.
In the presser, the EAM Jaishan- blocked and are not available for Indian diplomats happening in Cana- In the post it was noted, “In view
kar has slammed Canada for making viewers in Canada.” da, which he termed as unacceptable. of the security agencies conveying
allegations without any specific evi- “This happened just an hour or The third thing which he highlight- their inability to provide minimum
dence, termed “surveillance of Indi- few hours after this particular handle ed was the political space which has security protection to the commu-
an diplomats” unacceptable and also carried the press conference of EAM been given in Canada to anti-India nity camp organizers, Consulate has
highlighted that the “political space Dr S Jaishankar with Penny Wong... elements. So, you can draw your decided to cancel some of the sched-
has been given in Canada to anti-In- We were surprised. It looks strange to conclusions from that, why Australia uled consular camps”.
dia elements.” us.” he added. Today channel was blocked by Cana- The announcement by the Con-
Adressing the weekly briefing on “EAM in his media engagements, da, “Jaiswal added during the MEA sulate comes merely days after vio-
Thursday, MEA spokesperson Rand- spoke about three things. One was briefing. lence disruption was orchestrated by
hir Jaiswal said, “We understand Canada making allegations and a During the briefing, Jaiswal also anti-India extremists was seen when
that the social media handles, pages pattern has developed without any highlighted the recent violence that the Indian consulate had co-orga-
of this particular outlet, which is an specific evidence. The second thing took place at Hindu Sabha Mandir nized a consular camp outside the
important diaspora outlet, has been he highlighted was surveillance of on November 3 in Brampton, near

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