The government on January 4 expressed serious concern over reports that members of the Indian community in the Canadian province of British Columbia received extortion calls. Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), made these comments during a media briefing. 

More significantly, the nature of the extortion calls and their potential impact on the Indian community prompted India to address the issue as a matter of serious concern, indicating the importance of safeguarding the welfare of its citizens abroad. 

"It is a matter of concern… People getting extortion calls, especially Indian nationals, is a matter of serious concern," Jaiswal said. However, he noted that he does not have exact details regarding the incidents. 

In September, New Delhi-Ottawa relations experienced significant tension when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made allegations of "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey city on June 18. India firmly rejected Trudeau's claims, dismissing them as "absurd" and "motivated." India accused Canada of providing a platform for Khalistani extremists targeting India, leading to strained bilateral relations between the two countries. 

India has consistently emphasized that its "core issue" with Canada revolves around concerns related to the space provided to separatists, terrorists, and anti-India elements within Canada.  The MEA spokesperson highlighted that there are several issues to discuss with Canada, including matters related to security situations. Additionally, he mentioned a specific incident concerning an attack on a temple, following which the Canadian police conducted an investigation at the temple premises. 

Jaiswal pointed out a specific incident where an individual intruded into a temple, leading to an investigation by Canadian authorities. Later, these authorities issued a statement stating that the intruder was of unsound mind. He cited this example to underscore that there are various issues that need discussion between India and Canada. 

Image Source: ET