The Indian government has expressed growing concerns over reports of extortion calls targeting individuals within the Indian community in Canada. This information emerged from a weekly media briefing held by the Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal. Early December saw the initial complaints surfacing from Indian businesses, that resulted in a formal address of the matter in January 2024.
Responding to queries on the issue, Jaiswal emphasized the seriousness of the situation and iterated the concern over the safety of Indian nationals in Canada. He said, We have several issues to discuss… People getting extortion calls, especially Indian Nationals, is a matter of serious concern.
This distressing development adds to the ongoing tensions between the two nations. Relations have been strained due to a series of recent incidents, notably accusations from Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau of India’s alleged involvement in a Sikh separatist leader’s assassination on Canadian territory. Further escalations included diplomatic expulsions, visa suspensions, mutual allegations, and dissatisfaction over Canada’s perceived lack of cooperation on matters related to Khalistani extremists.
Additionally, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has recently declared Canada-based Satwinder Singh, alias Goldy Brar, an “individual terrorist” under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Brar, accused of ties to the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International and believed to be involved in various cross-border killings, is currently on the Canadian police’s “top 25 wanted list.”
With the growing tension and security concerns, the Indian government continues to closely monitor the situation in Canada for further developments. For more detailed insights, refer to the full report by JURIST (Provided Here).