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On Friday (23/9), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India launched an appeal to its citizens in Canada.

“In view of the increase in criminal incidents, Indian citizens and Indian students in Canada and those coming to Canada for travel or study are urged to exercise caution and remain vigilant,” the Indian Affairs Ministry said. foreign.

The statement also said that the Indian government has asked Canadian authorities to investigate the hate crimes that have occurred and to take strict action against extremist groups targeting Indian citizens.

Moreover, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also reminded its citizens to report to the High Commission of India in Ottawa or the Consulate General of India in Toronto and Vancouver in case of emergency.

Last week, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir temple in Toronto was vandalized with anti-Indian graffiti, allegedly by the extremist group Khalistani. The group is a Sikh separatist movement, which seeks to form a separate state from the Punjab region of India.

So far, the perpetrators of these crimes have not been brought to justice in Canada. Although several Canadian MPs from India as well as the Indian High Commission have urged the Canadian government to take this crime seriously immediately.

Canada is one of the countries that offers the most choice of destinations for Indian students to pursue their university studies. About 1.6 million people, including workers of Indian origin, are currently in Canada, one of the largest concentrations of the Indian diaspora in the world. Indians already represent more than 3% of the population in Canada. For this reason, the Indian government strives to continue to protect the safety of its citizens there.