The Shiromani Akali Dal president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, said Punjabis in Canada were in a state of panic due to the country’s deteriorating relations with India. He said this while appealing to the Union home minister, Amit Shah, to take necessary steps to ensure a quick resolution of the dispute with Canada, on Thursday.

Badal said he was receiving distress calls from Punjabis in Canada who were worried about their safety while travelling to India. He said students were also getting apprehensive about their future.

Badal met Shah at the latter’s office during a meeting in Parliament. He reportedly told Shah that there was a “sense of panic” among Punjabis in Canada and both the Indian and Canadian governments should find a solution to this crisis as soon as possible.

He told reporters that the home minister had assured to look into the issue.

The SAD chief also expressed deep concern over the suspension of visa services for travel from Canada to India. He said it will affect lakhs of overseas Punjabis and foreign nationals of Indian origin, including students.

“This is set to create great hurdles, uncertainty and anxiety for Punjabis especially to members of the most patriotic community of the Sikhs who have not only made unparalleled sacrifices for the freedom of the country but also for fighting off foreign aggression in borders,” he said.

Badal said visa facility hurdles would particularly hit the youth who go to Canada in thousands as students every year and who are now residing there.

Earlier on Wednesday, India had issued a fresh strongly worded travel advisory asking all Indians in Canada and those contemplating travel there, especially Indian students. to “exercise utmost caution in view of growing anti-India activities and politically condoned hate crimes and criminal violence”.

The Canadian government has rejected a travel advisory issued by India about security risks in Canada, saying it is one of the safest countries in the world, and called for calm amid the escalating diplomatic row between the two nations over the killing of a Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.