Priti Prakash
New Delhi: In a riveting development in the last 24 hours on October 14, relations between India and Canada plummeted a new low. The row between New Delhi and Ottawa over the allegations by Canada over the killing of Nijjar, a Canada based Khalistani terrorist, have been flying since 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau leveled allegations against Indian government for being involved in the killing of Nijjar.
In the latest development a statment from the Canadian side stated that the officials of the Indian mission were 'Persons of Interest' in the incident. After the Royal Canadian Mounted Police presser, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the media, where he claimed that despite repeated requests and attempts to work with the Indian government over this case, New Delhi "decided not to cooperate".
Within minutes, responding to Canada's allegations India insisted that despite asking for Canada to provide proof of India's involvement, Canada has not been able to provide a 'shred of evidence' on it. And that with the latest statement by Canada, India now reserves the right to respond accordingly.
After the statement at the Presser in Canada by Justin Trudeau, India summoned the Charge d'Affaires at the Canadian embassy. MEA statement said,'The Canadian Charge d’Affaires was summoned by Secretary (East) this evening. He was informed that the baseless targeting of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable.'
In a strong response, a first of its kind considering India's balanced approach, it said that we have no faith in the current Canadian government. Since then India has called back her top Diplomat from Canada High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and other targeted officials on the pretext of safety concerns.'It was underlined that in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, the Trudeau Government's actions endangered their safety. We have no faith in the current Canadian Government's commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials, MEA release stated.
India also expelled 6 of Canada's Diplomats from India namely Stewart Ross Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner; Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner; Ms Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary; lan Ross David Trites, First Secretary; Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary; Ms Paula Orjuela, First Secretary. They have been asked to leave India by or before 11:59 PM on Saturday, October 19, 2024.
'It was also conveyed that India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau Government’s support for extremism, violence and separatism against India,' MEA said.
Rebutting Trudeau's fresh charges of Indian Diplomats being 'Persons of Interest' India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a strong statement, 'We have received a diplomatic communication from Canada yesterday suggesting that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are ‘persons of interest’ in a matter related to an investigation in that country. The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics.
'Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian Government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side. This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains.'
Calling it politically motivated the statement said, 'Prime Minister Trudeau’s hostility to India has long been in evidence. In 2018, his visit to India, which was aimed at currying favour with a vote bank, rebounded to his discomfort. His Cabinet has included individuals who have openly associated with an extremist and separatist agenda regarding India. His naked interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard. That his Government was dependent on a political party, whose leader openly espouses a separatist ideology vis-à-vis India, only aggravated matters. Under criticism for turning a blind eye to foreign interference in Canadian politics, his Government has deliberately brought in India in an attempt to mitigate the damage. This latest development targeting Indian diplomats is now the next step in that direction. It is no coincidence that it takes place as Prime Minister Trudeau is to depose before a Commission on foreign interference. It also serves the anti-India separatist agenda that the Trudeau Government has constantly pandered to for narrow political gains.
'To that end, the Trudeau Government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada. This has included death threats to them and to Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech. Some individuals who have entered Canada illegally have been fast-tracked for citizenship. Multiple extradition requests from the Government of India in respect of terrorists and organized crime leaders living in Canada have been disregarded.
'High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma is India’s senior most serving diplomat with a distinguished career spanning 36 years. He has been Ambassador in Japan and Sudan, while also serving in Italy, Turkiye, Vietnam and China. The aspersions cast on him by the Government of Canada are ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt.
'The Government of India has taken cognizance of the activities of the Canadian High Commission in India that serve the political agenda of the current regime. This led to the implementation of the principle of reciprocity in regard to diplomatic representation. India now reserves the right to take further steps in response to these latest efforts of the Canadian Government to concoct allegations against Indian diplomats.'
Meanwhile a report in Washington Post on Oct 14, however, stated, 'Canada on Monday ordered 6 Indian Diplomats to leave the country, with the Headline 'Canada alleges much wider campaign by Modi government against Sikhs'. Indian Government on the other hand said it has called back its Diplomats.
India has been all along raising concerns over Canada being a safe haven for people with links to organised crime. In May this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticised the Canadian immigration policy after the arrest of three Indian nationals allegedly linked to Nijjar killing.
"A number of people with organised crime links from Punjab have been made welcome in Canada. We have been telling Canada that look, these are wanted criminals from India, you have given them visas. But the Canadian government has not done anything," Jaishankar said.
With this serious diplomatic to and fro trading of unverified charges Canada India ties have had a major blow. The two countries have bilateral relations in terms of businesses, Indian students going to Canada for studies, trade, tourism and people to people ties.
Canada, which is a part of the Five Eyes has been working with US primarily on sharing intelligence. India has refuted the killing claim that is levelled without proof. Turdeau's govt is already hanging by the thread with the support of the New Democratic Party. Jagmeet Singh, Head of NDP has pulled off his support. Canada will be going to elections in October 2024. India Canada relations have nosedived badly during Trudeau's realm.
How the row unfolds will be seen in coming days.
