New Delhi: India has taken a firm stance against Canada’s “back-stabbing” actions targeting Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Verma, according to External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Jaishankar, addressing an event in Pune, stated that India “completely rejects how the Canadian government targeted” its diplomats, especially in the context of the probe into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
On October 13th, the Canadian authorities declared High Commissioner Verma a “person of interest” in their investigation, a move India vehemently condemned. This led to Verma’s recall and the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats from India.
Jaishankar highlighted the existence of a “small minority” in Canada that has gained undue political influence, seemingly enabled by a “permissive atmosphere” for a long time. He pointed out that India had previously raised concerns about organised crime in Canada, but those concerns were largely ignored.
The Minister expressed disappointment at the Canadian government’s handling of the situation, stating that it was not only detrimental to India-Canada relations but also harmful to Canada itself. He expressed hope that a “more sensible, more sober, more responsible” approach will prevail in Canada’s future political landscape.
“Unfortunately, the politics of that country is giving that political lobby, perhaps a degree of play which I would argue is not just bad for us and our relationship. I would argue it is bad for Canada itself,” the minister added.
This diplomatic spat highlights the growing tensions between India and Canada, fueled by the issue of Khalistani separatism and the alleged inaction of the Canadian government in addressing concerns regarding organised crime and extremist elements operating within its borders, as claimed by the Indian government.
