Relations between India and Canada have been strained in recent years. India’s foreign ministry said on Monday that it will recall its diplomats in Canada. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Canadian diplomats today. The question is how did this bitterness in the relationship between India and Canada come about and why India had to take such a tough decision. Let us know:
If you understand in simple language, the Indian government has taken a decision to recall its diplomats in Canada in response to Canada’s repeated accusations in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This whole episode started in June last year.
Nijjar was assassinated on June 18, 2023.
Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar has been declared a terrorist by India. On June 18, 2023, he was shot dead outside a gurudwara in British Columbia. After the murder, in September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s murder. India has dismissed Trudeau’s allegations as ‘absurd’ and ‘provoked’. But from here the relations between India and Canada became tense.
Prime Minister Modi and Trudeau met in Laos
Now next year is 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trudeau met in Laos, but no concrete talks between the two leaders took place. India has once again reiterated its expectation that pro-Khalistan activities will not be encouraged in Canada and strict action will be taken against those who support anti-Indian violence, extremism and extremism which has so far escaped Canadian territory.
“I stressed that we have to work on certain issues,” Trudeau told reporters at a press conference in Laos. He said, ‘I won’t go into detail about what we talked about, but as I’ve said many times, the safety of Canadians and the maintenance of the law is one of the primary responsibilities of any Canadian government.’
India termed Canada’s allegations as baseless.
Canada has declared the Indian High Commissioner and diplomats as ‘persons of interest’ in the Nijjar murder case investigation. The Ministry of External Affairs of India issued a statement to this effect on Monday. India has publicly criticized this and warned Canada that it is an absurd allegation.
The Canadian government has not submitted evidence for the allegations, the foreign ministry said on Monday. India has accused Trudeau of vote-bank politics for political gain, and despite their demands, Canada has not produced any concrete evidence of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s murder. India has also suggested that this move by the Trudeau government is part of a deliberate strategy to tarnish India’s image.
A Canadian diplomat was called
Not only this, India summoned Canadian diplomat Stewart Wheeler on Monday. He was called to explain the recent allegations made by the Trudeau government. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was a negative move for bilateral relations.
At the meeting, Canadian diplomat Stewart Wheeler said, ‘Canada has presented credible evidence of links between agents of the Indian government and the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. Now is the time for India to live up to its promise and investigate all those allegations. It is good for both the countries and our people to reach the bottom level in this matter. Canada is ready to cooperate with India.
‘The safety of our diplomats is at risk’
The Government of India informed him that it is unacceptable to make allegations against the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats without any evidence. The Government of India has made it clear that such allegations have created an atmosphere of extremism and violence, which will endanger the safety of our diplomats.
In a statement, the Indian government said, ‘We have no confidence in the current Canadian government’s commitment to protecting our diplomats. Therefore, the Government of India decided to recall the High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials.
