India resumes select visa services in Canada amid diplomatic tensions
New Delhi: India has decided to resume certain visa services in Canada, including entry, business, medical, and conference visas, following a month-long suspension. The move comes amidst strained relations between New Delhi and Ottawa, primarily due to the killing of Sikh separatist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa issued a statement stating that after a thorough review of the security situation, taking recent Canadian measures into account, the decision to restart visa services was made. However, tourist visas remain excluded from this resumption.
Visa services were temporarily suspended last month due to heightened security threats to Indian missions and diplomats. In July, Indian High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Verma, and Consul General in Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava, were targeted in posters allegedly circulated by Sikh extremists. These posters accused them of involvement in Nijjar's killing.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the paramount importance of diplomats' safety and security, stating that the decision to halt visa issuance in Canada was made to ensure the well-being of Indian diplomatic staff.
Tensions between India and Canada escalated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that authorities were investigating potential links between Indian government agents and Nijjar's killing. India dismissed these allegations as baseless and motivated, leading to the expulsion of diplomats from both countries.
Last week, the Canadian government withdrew 41 diplomats and 42 dependents, asserting that India's request for diplomatic parity was a violation of international law and the Vienna Convention. Canadian officials criticized India's response as "unreasonable and escalatory."
India countered these allegations, citing the need for mutual diplomatic presence based on the bilateral relations between the two nations. Government sources referred to Article 11.1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR), highlighting India's right to limit the size of diplomatic missions based on what it deems reasonable and normal.
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
