India’s Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized Canada. The Foreign Ministry said it received a diplomatic message. The message states that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats in Canada are persons of interest in a matter related to an investigation in that country. Persons of interest Usually persons of interest are those who are suspects in a criminal case. The Ministry of External Affairs said that the Government of India strongly rejects these absurd allegations and attributes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau government which focuses on vote bank politics. Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian government has not shared even a shred of evidence with the Indian government, despite multiple requests from our side.
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This latest step comes after talks in which once again claims without any facts have emerged. This leaves no doubt that there is a well-planned strategy to malign India for political gains in the name of investigation. Prime Minister Trudeau’s hostility towards India has been in evidence for long. His visit to India in 2018, aimed at supporting the vote bank, increased his uneasiness. His cabinet includes individuals who are openly associated with extremist and separatist agenda with respect to India. His naked interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard. That his government depended on a political party whose leaders openly support separatist ideology regarding India made matters worse. His government, which has been criticized for turning a blind eye to foreign interference in Canadian politics, has deliberately included India in an effort to minimize the damage. This latest development targeting Indian diplomats is now the next step in that direction. It is no coincidence that this comes as Prime Minister Trudeau is scheduled to appear before a commission on foreign interference. It also serves the anti-India separatist agenda that the Trudeau government has consistently promoted for narrow political gains.
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The Trudeau government has knowingly provided space for violent extremists and terrorists to harass, intimidate, and threaten Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada. This also includes threats to kill him and Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of expression. Some individuals who entered Canada illegally are fast-tracked for citizenship. Several extradition requests from the Government of India regarding terrorists and organized crime leaders living in Canada have been ignored.
High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma is India’s most senior serving diplomat with a distinguished career spanning 36 years. He has been ambassador to Japan and Sudan, while also serving in Italy, Turkey, Vietnam and China. The allegations leveled against him by the Government of Canada are ridiculous and should be treated with contempt. The Government of India has taken cognizance of the activities of the Canadian High Commission in India which serve the political agenda of the current regime. This led to the implementation of the principle of reciprocity in relation to diplomatic representation. India now reserves the right to take further steps in response to these latest attempts by the Canadian government to make trumped-up charges against Indian diplomats.
