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Informist, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024

--Govt: To withdraw high commissioner, other targeted diplomats from Canada

NEW DELHI – The government Monday decided to withdraw its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and other "targeted diplomats and officials" from Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a release, citing lack of faith in the "current Canadian government's commitment to ensure their security" as the reason for the move. The decision was taken after the "baseless targeting of the diplomats and officials in Canada" in connection with the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. 

The Ministry of External Affairs also summoned the Canadian Charge d’Affaires and told him that the baseless targeting of Indian diplomats in Canada was "completely unacceptable". The Indian government underlined that in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, the Justin Trudeau-led government's actions endangered the safety of Indian 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," the ministry said in the release. 

Earlier in the day, the government "strongly" rejected Canada's claims that Verma and other diplomats are "persons of interest" in the investigation into the murder of separatist leader Nijjar and called it a deliberate strategy of "smearing India for political gains". "The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centred around vote bank politics. 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," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry said that it received communication from Canada on Sunday "suggesting that Indian diplomats are persons of interest in a matter related to the investigation". The ministry said that since Prime Minister Trudeau's allegation in September last year that Indian agents had a role in the killing of the Khalistani separatist leader, the Canadian government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Indian government despite many requests.

The foreign affairs ministry called the fresh charge a deliberate strategy of "smearing India for political gains." "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," the ministry said.

The ministry also called the statement an attempt by the Canadian government, which is under criticism for turning a blind eye to foreign interference in Canadian politics, to "mitigate 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," the ministry said.

India charged the Trudeau government for consciously providing space to violent extremists and terrorists to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada. It further said that individuals who have entered Canada illegally have been fast-tracked for citizenship.  

"That his government was dependent on a political party, whose leader openly espouses a separatist ideology vis-a-vis India, only aggravated matters. The Trudeau Government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists… This has included death threats to diplomats and to Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech," the government said.

"Multiple extradition requests from the Government of India in respect of terrorists and organized crime leaders living in Canada have been disregarded."

The Indian government also termed the aspersions cast on High Commissioner Verma by the Canadian government as "ludicrous" and said it deserves "to be treated with contempt".

India-Canada relations suffered a major setback in September last year when Trudeau alleged that the Indian government had a hand in the assassination of Nijjar, a Canada-based Khalistan separatist whom New Delhi has designated as a terrorist. However, India since rejected the charges as absurd and motivated. The Canadian authorities have also arrested four Indian nationals in connection with the murder of Nijjar.  End

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

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