The Indian High Commission in Ottawa has raised the issue of safety of Indian Diaspora including international students in Canada.
This has come after multiple reports that Indo-Canadians were threatened for pro-India actions.
In an outreach message to the diaspora in Canada, India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Ajay Bisaria wrote:
“We are also concerned at reports that Indian citizen and friends of India who have expressed their views in support of the farm reforms in India have been targeted and subjected to intimidation, threats of violence and calls to boycott or disrupt their business.”
The Indian government and its High Commission has taken note of the threats faced by the Indian Diaspora and written to its leaders and community members.
High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria told members of the Indian community that “in the event that any Indian national is subjected to any such threats of violence or intimidation, they should report the matter, with all details to the local police, and also bring it to our immediate attention”.
A letter written by National Alliance of Indo-Canadians (NAIC) to Canadian Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Bill Blair, has alleged that Indian Diaspora in Canada is facing threats from ‘Khalistani’ separatist groups.
“There have been multiple reports of Indo-Canadians, who are critical of the arguments against the laws or remain committed to improving and strengthening relations between the land of their heritage, India, and the land that has adopted them, Canada, being intimidated online, threatened with violence including rape of women their families, and this has escalated to certain elements even gathering at the residences and offices of individual Canadian citizens.”
In his statement, High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria called on the Indian diaspora to:
“encourage Indian citizens, friends of India and the Canadian public to remain vigilant against such attempts and not be swayed by false narratives and sophistry”.
The statement notes that the Indian government believes that Indian diaspora spread all over the world is a reflection of the diversity and plurality of India.
According to a report by the United Nations, International Migration 2020 Highlights’, India has the largest diaspora population in the world.
18 million people from India live outside with most settled in the United Arab Emirates (3.5 million), the United States of America (2.7 million) and Saudi Arabia (2.5 million).
These are followed by Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Kingdom.
Indian-origin people living in both Canada and Australia have been participating in peaceful ‘Tiranga Yatra’ or ‘Tiranaga Rally’ in large numbers.
Cars adorned with the Indian national flag are taken out for the rally with slogans such as ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
These rallies are in response to the Republic Day violence that occurred at the Red Fort in New Delhi.
394 police personnel were injured in the violence and Delhi Police registered 25 FIRs against the protesters.
