India suspends visa services in Canada
India on Thursday suspended visa services in Canada citing ‘operational reasons’. The move comes amid the tension between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The visa application portal BLS, in a message, conveyed “Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 September 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice. Please keep checking BLS website for further updates.”
After the ‘not so pleasant’ discussion around the Khalistani issue between the prime ministers of India and Canada during the G20 meet in Delhi earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that his government was investigating “credible allegations” that Indian government agents were linked to the June 18 slaying, when Nijjar was gunned down outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia. India has denied any role in the killing, calling the allegations absurd.
Following this, the tension between India and Canada further deteriorated as the both the countries have taken measures in a tit-for-tat attitude.
Yesterday, a Punjab-origin NIA-wanted gangster Sukha Duneke was shot dead in Canada’s Winnipeg in an inter-gang rivalry, police officials told Canadian media.
