India Canada News LIVE: Under Pressure to Prove Allegations Against India, Canada 'Leaks Claims' to Media; Airfares Soar in Wake of Strained Ties

None of Canada’s alliance partners including the US, the UK, Australia or even New Zealand have extended support to him in his allegations that Indian agents were responsible for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist, on Canadian soil.

According to Trudeau, Nijjar was not a terrorist but a Canadian citizen who was shot down at the behest of India. He made this allegation right from the floor of the Canadian Parliament before launching a failed bid to get Canada’s allies in the West to issue a joint statement against India at the G20 Summit. But neither his canvassing for support in the run-up to the summit worked nor his expectations after raising the issue at the Canadian Parliament succeeded. READ OPINION HERE

Amid tensions between India and Canada over Khalistan extremism, India on Thursday declared a temporary suspension of visa services for Canadians, while Canada’s response to this remains uncertain.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau although addressed this matter during press conference, he did not directly state whether Canada also intends to reciprocate with the same move and suspend visa services for Indian citizens.

AP Dhillon has shared a cryptic post amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Canada-based singer and rapper Shubh, whose Still Rollin tour now stands cancelled in India.

Dhillon didn’t address the controversy directly, but requested people to not spread hate. He also spoke about how over the years it’s become difficult for artists to stay focused on their craft as “someone, somewhere, is going to spin the narrative to their liking and create more division.”

“I try to stay out of all the social mania as it is clear to me that regardless of what I say or do, it is a lost cause… I try to be mindful of everyone’s sentiments but it’s gotten to a point where we have to second and triple guess our every move due to the fear of unintentionally fueling even more division,” Dhillon wrote on his Instagram Story.

One rising star who captured the spotlight in 2021 is Shubhneet Singh, aka Shubh broke his silence over the allegations that he supports Khalistani elements. This also led to his India tour being cancelled. Taking to his Instagram handle the singer said that he was “extremely disheartened by the cancellation” of his tour.

He said, “India is MY country too. I was born here. It is the land of my GURUS and my ANCESTORS, who didn’t even blink an eye to make sacrifices for the freedom of this land, for its glory, and for the family. And Punjab is my soul, Punjab is in my blood. Whatever I am today, I am because of being a Punjabi. Punjabis do not need to give proof of patriotism. At every turn in history, Punjabis have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country. That’s why it’s my humble request to refrain from naming every Punjabi as a separatist or anti-national.”

The bilateral ties between India and Canada have hit a new low ever since the G20 Summit when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited India and held a bilateral talk with PM Narendra Modi. During Trudeau’s visit, PM Modi conveyed India’s strong concerns about the continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.

Following Trudeau’s departure from New Delhi, the two countries announced cancelling negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement. In a recent development, Trudeau has accused India of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was fatally shot earlier this year.

Both India and Canada have expelled top diplomats from the respective countries amid soured relations. Amid the widening rift between the two countries, let’s take a look at the bilateral relations between the two countries and its economic implications. EXPLAINED HERE

Ahead of his India tour, the Canada-based Punjabi singer Shubneet Singh, aka Shubh found himself in hot soup over allegations that he supports separatist Khalistani elements. After the controversy, several celebs like Virat Kohli unfollowed him and eventually his tour in the country got cancelled.

Amid the rage that the singer is facing, late rapper and singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s family has put out a statement in support of Shubh. The statement reads:

“It is truly disheartening to witness the frequent demands placed upon Punjabis to validate their patriotism. Being a minority in India is undoubtedly a challenging experience.” The statement further read, “Sidhu consistently advocated for his people, only to be unjustly labeled a terrorist without any substantiated evidence. Regrettably, a similar fate has befallen Shubh.” The statement question, “How can advocating for one’s own community be equated with terrorism?”

“And, to those artists who refrain from standing with their peers in times of injustice, reflect on your actions. Grow a spine,” the statement said.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a wanted Khalistani terrorist, was slain in June in British Columbia, raising tensions between Sikh separatists and the Indian government.

“Canada has declared its deep concerns to the top intelligence and security officials of the Indian government,” Trudeau said on Monday in the Ottawa legislature. he added that he raised those concerns “personally and directly” with his Indian counterpart, PM Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting last week in New Delhi. EXPLAINED

Amid tensions between India and Canada over Khalistan extremism, BLS International Services, which runs the visa application centres in Canada, on Thursday said that Indian visa services for Canadian citizens have been suspended until further notice with effect from September 21.

This notification on BLS International’s website sparked speculation that India has suspended visa services for Canada. Here’s what to know

After India suspended visa services for Canadian citizens following diplomatic tensions between the two countries over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, immigration consultants are being bombarded with anxious queries.

Immigration consultant Cyrus Sethna’s phone has not stopped buzzing since Thursday. A couple who planned a big December wedding in Mumbai is now clueless about whether their relatives living in Canada will be able to make it to the ceremony. A delegation of Canadian doctors who were due to participate in a conference in India found themselves in a similar situation.

In the wake of recent threats against the Hindu community in Canada, the Canadian government has expressed its disapproval of such actions, emphasising that there is no place for hate in the country. This comes after a video featuring pro-Khalistan Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.

In a widely circulated video, Pannun threatened Hindus in Canada and told them to leave the country. He also called on Canadian Sikhs to vote in a so-called referendum scheduled for October 29 in Vancouver. “There is no place in Canada for hate. The circulation of an online video in which Hindu Canadians are told to leave Canada is offensive and hateful, and is an affront to all Canadians and the values we hold dearly,” Public Safety Canada said in a post on X.

“Acts of aggression, hate, intimidation or incitement of fear have no place in this country and only serve to divide us. We urge all Canadians to respect one another and follow the rule of law. Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities,” it added.

The Winnipeg police confirmed the death of the gangster Sukhdool Singh Gill in Canada’s Winnipeg, adding that its homicide unit had identified the victim as Gill and his family members have also been informed of the killing.

The Winnipeg Police Service statement read, “The Homicide Unit has now identified the victim as 39-year-old Sukhdool Singh Gill, and notifications to family members have been made. The investigation is ongoing.”

US President Joe Biden and other leaders expressed their concerns to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Canada’s assumptions and claims about Khalistani separatist-terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder during the September New Delhi G20 Summit, according to reports by Financial Times and India Today.

Separate reports by several media outlets said that the Canadian delegation led by their Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wanted to go public with these claims but his pleas were met with reluctance. Trudeau wanted to go public with the claims shortly after he raised the issue with several members of the Five Eyes, an intelligence-sharing network that includes the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in June.

US NSA Jake Sullivan upon being asked as to why the United States is giving a “free pass” on Beijing and Delhi on Russian aggression and — in India’s case — other bilateral matters, said a Hindustan Times report.

Sullivan said, “Now, India is not Russia, and China has its own set of challenges that we deal with in its own context. So, of course, there is going to be differences in how we deal with countries one by one. But the North Star of this administration is: If you represent a threat to the American people’s security, prosperity, or basic sense of fairness, we will take action to defend that. I think our record on that — across multiple countries, including the ones you have mentioned — is quite clear over the last two and a half years.”

National security adviser (NSA) Doval and his Canadian counterpart always discussed the issues of both countries, especially terrorism, top Indian government sources told CNN-News18 amid the snowballing diplomatic standoff between the two nations. NSA Doval very clearly and categorically told his counterpart about the troublemakers and terrorists sitting in Canada, they said.

NSA Doval always shared lists of wanted fugitives and letters rogatory (LRs) from various agencies and state police, said officials. He shared intelligence inputs and intercepts from time to time, including the locations of these people, they added.

Almost 70 per cent of the students in Canada come from Punjab, forcing parents to make frenetic calls to immigration agents and local politicians inquiring about the safety of their children.

Last year alone, about 2.5 lakh students moved to Canada from India, most for a two-year study course, out of which over 70 per cent are from Punjab. Estimates by various Punjab-based groups indicate that about Rs 50,000 crore is spent on the education of the children in Canada annually. The suspension of visa services in Canada has also come as a shocker for the families.

Prospective students looking to move to Canada in the coming months are expressing deep concerns about the potential disruption of their plans if Ottawa reciprocates with similar visa restrictions. READ HERE

Amid the strained ties between India and Canada, airfares have shot up the roof as travelers are trying to prepone their plans before the rift grows further.

Spot fares for a direct flight between New Delhi and Toronto have crossed Rs 1.46 lakh, said a Live Mint report. Travel portals have said that they have seen an increase of up to 25 per cent in last minute fares.

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday reiterated his allegations that Government of India agents are involved in the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and sought cooperation from New Delhi on the probe in the matter.

“We have a rigorous and independent justice system and robust processes that will follow their course… As a country of the rule of law, we have an obligation to ensure that those processes unfold in a rigorous and independent manner… That is what we are ensuring… At the same time, we are ensuring that Canadians stay protected and that we stand up for international rules-based order that is something we are doing and that is something we are doing alongside our allies,” Trudeau said.

Amid a diplomatic row with Canada following its allegations regarding Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India asked Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence in New Delhi citing “interference of Canadian diplomats” in India’s internal affairs.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has informed the Canadian government that there should be parity in strength and rank equivalence in our mutual diplomatic presence.

Indian diplomats in Canada were surveilled for intelligence, leading to Justin Trudeau’s allegation of India’s involvement in the killing of a Sikh terrorist based on information from a major ally, a Canadian official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The communications involved Indian officials and diplomats in Canada and some of the intelligence was provided by a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, which includes the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Canada.

Amid the high-tension diplomatic row, top government sources told News18 that during Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting on the sidelines of the recent G20 Summit in New Delhi, the latter had raised the serious issue of terror activities in the North American country, and sought cooperation in the investigation in ongoing cases against the Khalistani extremists by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and Punjab Police.

“Modi was almost ready with dossier on everything and told him (Trudeau) in all clear terms about how terror activities are happening from Canada,” government sources told News18. Exclusive Here