A cross-section of Canadian MPs are calling out an Indian government crackdown in the state of Punjab, and those criticizing internet restrictions are receiving threatening responses online.

For at least three days, authorities in Punjab have restricted communications and the size of gatherings as authorities search for Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh. The manhunt comes a month after he led a violent storming of a police station, according to international media reports.

害羞草研究所淎s Canadian members of Parliament, we害羞草研究所檙e trying to ensure that there is some safety for Canadians who are visiting there,害羞草研究所� Conservative deputy leader Tim Uppal said in an interview Monday.

害羞草研究所淲e raised this as a concern. And the response was quite harsh 害羞草研究所� a number of threats in there as well, and by people who have a very large following.害羞草研究所�

The Edmonton MP was among a handful of parliamentarians, across party lines, who have voiced their concerns online this week 害羞草研究所� even as millions of people in Punjab were reportedly denied access to the internet.

His colleague, Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan, who is the party害羞草研究所檚 high-profile finance critic, said he was 害羞草研究所渃losely following the situation.害羞草研究所�

The office of Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly has not yet responded to a media request, and other Liberal ministers have not commented. But at least two Liberal MPs from Toronto-area ridings with large Sikh populations have publicly expressed worry.

害羞草研究所淚 am receiving calls from my residents and am deeply concerned,害羞草研究所� Sonia Sidhu said on Twitter earlier this week. 害羞草研究所淚 hope the situation is resolved soon (and) Canadians travelling to the region are able to connect with their families and friends in Canada.害羞草研究所�

Greater Toronto Area MP Iqwinder Gaheer also said constituents had reached out with concern. 害羞草研究所淐ivil rights and liberties should be maintained in a democracy,害羞草研究所� Gaheer tweeted, in a message shared by another Liberal MP, Gary Anandasangaree.

For his part, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to get on the phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi 害羞草研究所渢o express concern regarding the suspension of civil liberties and the safety of Canadians abroad,害羞草研究所� he wrote on Twitter.

India denied Singh a visitor visa a decade ago, in what many saw as a response to his advocacy for Sikhs. He wrote on Twitter that the communications restrictions echo a dark past in India.

害羞草研究所淭hese draconian measures are unsettling for many given their historical use to execute extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances during the 1984 Sikh Genocide,害羞草研究所� Singh wrote.

He was referring to riots that Canada has not officially recognized as a genocide, in which roughly 3,000 Sikhs were killed following the assassination of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards.

The World Sikh Organization noted that many of the MPs who are raising concerns have faced abuse online from accounts that identify themselves as supporters of Modi.

One such account called on people to 害羞草研究所渢each (Gaheer) a lesson害羞草研究所� while another suggested people 害羞草研究所渄rag the likes of (Jagmeet Singh) to India and teach them a bit about Indian laws.害羞草研究所�

The Indian high commission in Ottawa has not yet responded to a request for comment.

For decades, India has called out Canadian governments of various stripes in response to activities of Sikh separatists who want an independent country called Khalistan.

Ottawa has insisted that the idea isn害羞草研究所檛 part of Canada害羞草研究所檚 foreign policy and that free speech allows Canadians to advocate for various causes.

Meanwhile, the NDP has been pushing the Liberals to denounce India害羞草研究所檚 treatment of minorities, a year after Human Rights Watch called out Modi害羞草研究所檚 government for a 害羞草研究所渟erious regression in human rights and constitutional protections.害羞草研究所�

The Trudeau government announced its intention to form deeper ties with India last November as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, and ministers are likely to visit India through this year as it hosts the G20 presidency.

害羞草研究所擠ylan Robertson, The Canadian Press