New Delhi has rejected recent allegations, made by a Canadian minister to the effect that India’s Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered action against Khalistani extremists in Canada. The Indian government has labelled these claims “absurd and baseless” and responded to a statement that was reportedly made by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison of Canada before its Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. India has summoned a Canadian diplomat to formally protest over this claim.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that it was a “completely unfounded” claim and that such comments can only weaken an already strained relationship. According to Jaiswal, India’s government had sent a diplomatic note to the High Commission of Canada that communicated its dissatisfaction with the words of Morrison.
Amit Shah did not take any action against Khalistani extremists in Canada, clarifies Jaiswal
The latest friction comes in the wake of Canada’s National Cyber Threat Assessment, which has put India in the “adversaries” category alongside China and North Korea. The Ministry of External Affairs has criticized this categorization as one of the frivolous charges to influence international opinion against India. “Such actions, done without evidence, have grave implications for bilateral relations,” Jaiswal said.
Further escalations of these tensions occurred as it appeared that the Canadian officials gave out some information on India to U.S. media about India that it claims attempts to discredit its government, the spokesperson noted that all such irresponsible actions only harden into concrete India’s longstanding concerns about Canada political tactics.
India has also protested the surveillance that the Canadian government carried out over the Indian consular officials on the grounds that such practices are against the conventions in diplomatic circles. “We consider this surveillance a form of harassment and intimidation,” Jaiswal said, calling for such action to be brought to an end.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has also been dissatisfied due to the cancellation of the Parliament Hill Diwali events in Ottawa by the Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre which caused a backlash across the Indian community. This was an unfortunate intolerant atmosphere prevailing in Canada, pointed out Jaiswal.
Differences between the two countries have increased since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed last year that “Indian agents” committed a homicide of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an accusation India is flatly denying. Further deterioration in diplomatic relations resulted from the recent expulsion by both countries of high-level diplomats as a sign of escalating hostilities.
Also, see: Canada bans Diwali celebrations following strained relationship with India