As the tensions between India and Canada continues to rise, India alleges Canadian diplomats of misusing their powers to grant visas to Khalistani supporters in different consulates in Chandigarh and other areas of Punjab.
According to the sources, the diplomats have gone “very soft” in granting visas despite knowing the criminal antecedents. It is said that the visas are being given to support the Khalistani cause.
“The Canadian diplomats have done this deliberately and the idea was very clear — to give visa to take certain individuals out of India. Even people those who were involved in cases were given visa and sent to Canada by these diplomats,” the sources also said.
In his recent statement, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said India has proofs of Canada interfering in Indian matters.
“There’s this whole issue of parity that the size of how many diplomats there are of one country versus how many diplomats there are of the other county. Parity is very much provided for the Vienna Convention, which is relevant international rule on this,” said Mr Jaishankar on issue of Canada withdrawing its diplomats from India.
“But in our case, we invoked parity because we had concerns about continuous interference in our affairs by Canadian personnel. We haven’t made much of that public. My sense is over a period of time more stuff will come out and people will understand why we had the kind of discomfort with many of them which we did”, said the foreign minister further.
The tensions between the two countries increased after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced withdrawal of 41 out of 62 Canadian diplomats from India.
This came just a day before the set deadline set by India and failing to do so would have led to losing diplomatic immunity for Canada.
