Indian Consulate In Canada Cancels Consular Camps Over 'Inadequate Security'

The MEA said that the consulate camp is helpful for the community as it facilitates documentation for the diaspora in matters like continuing pensions and other such activities.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto on Thursday said it is cancelling some of the scheduled consular camps after the Canadian security authorities conveyed their inability to provide minimum security protection to its organisers.

"In view of the security agencies conveying their inability to provide minimum security protection to the community camp organizers, Consulate has decided to cancel some of the scheduled consular camps," the Consulate General of India said in a post on X. 

The announcement comes just days after protestors carrying Khalistani flags disrupted a consular event co-organised by the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton and the Indian Consulate.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), reacting to the development, said that the consulate camp is helpful for the community as it facilitates documentation for the diaspora in matters like continuing pensions and other such activities. 

The MEA said that the Consulate General would go ahead with the consular camps wherever the community organizations are comfortable.

"You would have seen the message posted by our consulate in Toronto that they have had to cancel the consular camp that they were planning to organise over the weekend because they did not get adequate security or security assurance from the government. We have a large diaspora in Canada. Many of these people, especially around the month of November, December, they need several documentation for continuation of their pensions and several other activities here in India," MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during the weekly press briefing on Thursday. 

"The consulate camp that we do is helpful to the community, to both people of Indian nationality and people who are of Indian origin but Canadian nationals today. I do understand that in other parts of Canada, Vancouver for example, the consular camps will be conducted. These consular camps are conducted at the request of the community organizations. So where the community organization is comfortable, we will go ahead with these consular camps," he added.

Jaiswal's statement comes after a protest occurred at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton on Sunday and unverified videos circulating on social media appeared to show demonstrators holding banners in support of Khalistan. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada, by saying that the acts of violence would never weaken India's resolve.

PM Modi said he is appalled at the cowardly attempts to intimidate the Indian diplomats and called on the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.

"I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law," PM Modi said in a post on X.

The protestors clashed with people and disrupted the consular event. The incident was condemned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who said every Canadian has the right to practise their faith freely and safely.