New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly criticised the Canadian government’s ‘hostility’ on Monday while rejecting a diplomatic note that named the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats in the ongoing investigation of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing. The foreign ministry labelled the claims as ‘baseless’ and dubbed them to be a politically motivated move by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Prime Minister Trudeau’s hostility toward India has been evident for a long time. The release pointed to Trudeau’s 2018 visit to India, claiming that the trip was aimed at appealing to his political vote bank, but ultimately backfired, causing him discomfort.
“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,” the statement further read.
The Ministry of External Affairs condemned Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his “naked interference” in India’s internal politics, highlighting his actions in December 2020 as proof of how far he was willing to go. The statement further pointed out that “Trudeau’s government” relies on a political party whose leader “openly espouses a separatist ideology” against India, further aggravating tensions between the two nations.
The MEA statement said, “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.”
The Ministry of External Affairs accused the Trudeau government of allowing violent extremists and terrorists in Canada to target Indian diplomats and community leaders through threats, harassment, and even death threats. The MEA claimed that these actions have been defended under the guise of freedom of speech.
“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,” the foreign ministry’s press release added.
According to MEA’s statement, as Canada was facing criticism for ignoring foreign interference in Canadian politics, Trudeau’s government has now involved India to try and deflect some of the blame. “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 release said.
