A small but vocal group of demonstrators gathered Saturday in front of the Khalsa Diwan Society gurdwara in south Vancouver to protest the presence of Indian consulate officials in the temple.

This was the first of two “consular camps” planned by the Indian consulate at the gurdwara. The events aim to provide seniors of Indian origin with an opportunity to meet officials and complete administrative tasks without having to travel to the consulate downtown.

But amid allegations by Canadian officials that the Indian government is waging a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists in Canada, protesters say the

Ajaypal Singh, one of about two dozen protesters, told CTV News that those gathered believed Indian officials should not be allowed into Sikh temples.

“We want the embassies to be closed and we want the Indian consulate not to engage in Sikh gurdwaras,” Singh said.

He referenced the Canadian government’s allegation that Indian diplomats gathered information on Indian nationals and Canadian citizens in Canada and then passed that information to the Indian government in New Delhi, which was allegedly working with a criminal network that links to homicides, assassination plots, coercion and others. violent crimes in Canada.

The allegations prompted Canada to expel six Indian diplomats last month, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma.

“Mr. Sanjay Verma, who was deported, is saying in India that ‘we have death threats from Sikhs,'” Singh said. “On the other hand, they come to our gurdwaras to conduct their embassy business. I mean, that’s the height of hypocrisy.”

Tensions between Canada and India have been escalating for more than a year, since the June 2023 shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara.

Nijjar was a Canadian citizen and a prominent campaigner for the creation of an independent Sikh territory known as Khalistan, which would be located in what is currently the state of Punjab in India. The Canadian government alleges that the Indian government was involved in Nijjar’s death.

India has denied all allegations against it.

Before Saturday’s event, the British Columbia Supreme Court granted an order sought by the Khalsa Diwan Society creating a 50-metre “buffer zone” around the gurdwara over fears of “intense protests.”

“The company expects that the consular camps… will spark intense protests from individuals who believe that all Indian consular offices should be closed in Canada and that consular officials should not be allowed to enter the Ross Street Gurdwara to carry on their official business in his name. of the Government of India,” court documents state.

The court order prohibits protesting, blocking sidewalks or intimidating anyone attempting to enter the property within 50 meters of the roads surrounding the temple from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A second consular camp is planned for November 16.

With files from The Canadian Press