New Delhi:
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said India hopes to bring to book the culprits involved in the attacks on its High Commission in London and Consulate in San Francisco last year, as well as those involved in threatening Indian diplomats in Canada. Will go.
The External Affairs Minister said India had to suspend the issuance of visas to Canada because its diplomats were repeatedly “intimidated and threatened in various ways” and we “got very little comfort from the Canadian system at that time”.
In September last year, India had temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens, a move days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations over the “possible” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Came later.
Visa services were resumed several weeks later.
India rejected Trudeau’s allegations outright.
India has been insisting that its “core issue” with Canada is the space given to separatists, terrorists and anti-India elements in that country.
“We expect the perpetrators of the attack on our Consulate in San Francisco to be brought to justice, we expect action to be taken against those who attacked our High Commission in London and we expect action to be taken against those who who threatened our diplomats (in Canada),” said Mr. Jaishankar said this at a summit organized by TV9 network.
On March 19 last year, the Indian High Commission in London was attacked by some pro-Khalistani elements, while in July, an arson attempt was made at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.
Indian diplomats faced threats in Canada in September.
Mr Jaishankar said, “We had to suspend the issuance of visas to Canada because our diplomats were not safe to go to work. Our diplomats were repeatedly threatened. They were intimidated in many ways and we had to inform the Canadians at that time. There was very little relief from the system.”
“We reached a stage when, as a minister, I could not risk exposing diplomats to the kind of violence that was very clearly prevalent in Canada at that time. That part of it was fixed. Today, our visa operations are largely normal,” he added.
Mr Jaishankar said the situation has improved since then.
On the question of space given to Khalistani elements in Canada, he cited incidents of smoke bombs being thrown at Indian missions in that country.
Jaishankar said, “They (Canada) keep telling us that we are a democracy. There is freedom of speech and that is why people say these things.”
He said, “Freedom of expression cannot extend to intimidating diplomats who are performing their duty. Throwing smoke bombs at embassies and consulates, advocating violence and separatism against a friendly state is not freedom of expression, This is an abuse of freedom of expression.”
Mr Jaishankar said the culprits involved in these attacks should be punished.
Jaishankar said, “In Britain, we actually saw our High Commission being attacked by a mob and honestly, we did not get the kind of security that we expected.”
He said, “The situation has improved in Britain. We have got a very strong response in Australia and America today.”
“If a receiving state does not investigate and take action against someone who attacks our embassies and consulates, there is a message in that. I don’t think that’s the kind of message for any of these countries to have for their reputation. It’s good to send.” “Mr Jaishankar said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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