BHARATA BHARATI

“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.’’ – MEA India

Relations between India and Canada hit a diplomatic low on Monday as India expelled six Canadian diplomats and decided to withdraw its High Commissioner and other threatened diplomats from the country.

Meanwhile, around the same time, the Canadian media quoted an unnamed senior official as saying that Ottawa has expelled six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner.

The Globe and Mail daily quoted the Canadian official as saying that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have evidence that the six diplomats were involved in the alleged plot to murder Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023.

The six Canadian diplomats who have to leave India by October 19th before 11.59 pm are the acting High Commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler, Deputy High Commissioner Patrick Herbert, first secretaries Marie Catherine Joly, Ian Ross David Trites, Adam James Chuipka and Paula Orjuela, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

This was announced after the MEA summoned Canada’s Charge de Affaires in Delhi on Monday.

“It was underlined that in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, the Trudeau government’s actions has endangered the safety of India diplomats. 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,’’ said the MEA.

MEA’s Secretary East summoned the Canadian Charge de Affaires on Monday and 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.

“He was informed that the baseless targeting of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable,” said MEA.

Earlier, India has trashed a communiqué by Canada which suggested that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are `persons of interest’ in a matter related to an investigation in their country.

“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,” it said.

“Since Canadian Prime Minister Justin 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,” said the MEA.

“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,’’ the MEA added.

“PM 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,’’ the statement read.

“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,” said the MEA.

“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,” it said.

“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,’’ it added. – The New Indian Express, 14 October 2024

› Yeshi Seli is a Senior Editor for Foreign Policy and Diplomacy in New Delhi.