Diplomatic dispute puts London area Indian community on edge

Some Londoners with ties to Indiaare feeling on edge as diplomatic relations between Canada and India worsen, with some expressing concern that poor relations can embolden hate.

Those concerns follow Monday's statements from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and RCMP officials, who alledge the Indian government is responsible for supporting violent act against Canadians on Canadian soil.

"This is a completely political conflict. We believe in unity, and what's going on right now is not good at all for anybody," said Bhavin Patel, the president ofIndian Culture of Southwestern Ontario.

Trudeau told reporters Monday that the RCMP laid out their own allegations accusing Indian agents of playing a role in "widespread violence" in Canada, including homicides.

Just prior to the public allegations against the Indian government, Canada announced the expulsion of six Indian diplomats, with India responding by ordering six Canadian diplomats to leave the country.The relationship between Canada and India has deteriorated since last year, afterTrudeau announced Canada had evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.India has deniedthe allegations, both new and old.

Patel has been watching the worsening relationship closely and said the situation contributing to anti-Indian racism.

"The Canada I know supports everybody and has no racism. Because of this situation, people are looking at Indians, and they're sometimes showing the reverse of that," said Patel,who has lived in Canada since 1998.

"We established ourselves here as good businesspeople, and good people. We don't want this to create any kind of issue."

Anti-Indian concerns are shared by Hiral Joshi, whoheads a London networking group of professionals who've immigrated to Canada from India.

"It's already impacting us," Joshi said, adding that things have felt different since the relationship between Canada and India began to deteriorate last year.

Joshi also said she's worried the dispute could have reverberations for her family.She's due to have her first child around Christmas time.

"I'm seven months pregnant," she said."I was hoping my parents could be here. Now with this news, I'm in a dilemma. I'm not even sure what's going to happen," she said.

Joshi's parents would have to apply for a travel visa to come to Canada. For now, there is no indication the dispute will disrupt travel or immigration, but she is worried it could happen given the seriousness of the Canadian government's allegations.

"Honestly, I feel super stressed," she said.

Travel-related worries are being shared by many in the local Indian community, according to Vishal Kothari, the president of the Hindu Cultural Centre.

"Really, this is the time of year where people in the community are travelling to visit family. Diwali is comng up soon, and people planning their trips don't know what to think," Kothari said.

"Hopefully the two governments sort things out sooner than later, but it seems like conversations are failing and we're going downhill with it."