Toronto [Canada], October 15 (ANI): Journalist and businessman Anil Shringi, who is based in Canada, criticised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau-led government’s decision to expel six Indian diplomats, terming it a “vote bank action.”
Speaking to ANI, Shringi said that Trudeau has claimed that securities have given the information, however, there is no such evidence on the table. He stated that the development has been “very disturbing” for the Indo-Canadian diaspora who have been living in Canada.
On the diplomatic fallout between India and Canada, he said, “Today’s news has been very disturbing for Indo-Canadian diaspora, those who have been living here. As we all know that the Canadian government, Trudeau government, has decided to let go India’s high-profile diplomats. And against that, India also has declared that the Canadian diplomat has to leave on Saturday as well.
“Now, I’ve been living here in Canada for the last 37 years. Being a journalist, I cover a lot of news, a lot of information. Based on that, I think this action, what Canada took is totally a vote bank action. We have election coming up next year. So, to secure the vote bank in Canada, Prime Minister has to do something to please that particular community. Otherwise, why today is the question mark. Yes, they’re saying that securities have given the information, but there is no such solid evidence still on a table,” he added.
He noted that people who need visas for different purposes will suffer by the government’s decision. He called on the governments of India and Canada to cooperate and restart diplomatic ties.
Stressing that people who need visa will suffer, he stated, “I would say that people are suffering because they need some visas, weddings, death, parents are sick. They all will suffer and I would request both the governments to look into that and look at the legitimacy. What is real? Look at that and solve it because diplomats solve the problems and this is the problem I think has been solved on the higher level. We should cooperate with each other. We should understand each other and restart our diplomatic relationship happily and peacefully so we can both prosper.”
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly has said that the decision to expel Indian diplomats was based on evidence gathered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing case and urged the Indian government to support the ongoing probe for the benefit of two nations.
India on Monday expelled six Canadian diplomats hours after it summoned Canada’s Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and conveyed that the “baseless targeting” of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable.
“The Government of India has decided to expel the following six Canadian Diplomats: Mr. Stewart Ross Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner; Mr. Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner; Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary; lan Ross David Trites, First Secretary; Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary; Paula Orjuela, First Secretary,” a Ministry of External Affairs release said.
“They have been asked to leave India by or before 11:59 pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024,” the release added.
Meanwhile, Defence expert Dhruv Katoch said that the Canadian government has tried to falsely implicate India on the charges of a wanted terrorist in India who then became a citizen of Canada. According to him, the Canadian government does not have any proof to prove the allegations made by Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau.
Speaking to ANI, Katoch said, “I think this is a very surprising development. It indicates the perfidy as far as Canada is concerned. They have falsely tried to implicate India on the charges of killing a wanted terrorist in India who then became a citizen of Canada. And now they don’t have any iota of proof to prove the charges which Prime Minister Trudeau has consistently been making.”
He further said, “To get away from that, they are trying to implicate the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats in Canada. I think if it comes to that, then the Indian government may well be advised to expel every single Canadian diplomat from India and recall our mission from there. Does Prime Minister Trudeau want to go that way? What he is doing is absolutely uncalled for, and I’m quite certain that the Ministry of External Affairs will give the Government of Canada an appropriate response.”
Justin Trudeau has claimed that he has “credible allegations” of India’s hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has denied all the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated” and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country.
Katoch said that Trudeau has made certain allegations against India. However, he has not been able to prove any of those allegations.
On being asked whether Trudeau’s dependence before a commission is a reason for hostility, the defence expert said, “Prime Minister Trudeau has laid certain allegations against India. But he has not been able to prove any of those allegations. And now the Australian people and the Australian judiciary are now asking, where is your proof? He has been asked to depose before a court. And he’s got nothing really to say.”
“Because he has nothing to say, he’s taking up these frivolous charges. And he’s saying that even Indian diplomats and the Indian High Commissioner are persons of interest. This really shows the level of frustration as far as Mr. Trudeau is concerned because he has no answer to give to their own commission which has been ordered by their own government and their judiciary,” he added.
Dhruv Katoch spoke about how some nations have been giving support to extremist elements, particularly Khalistani extremist elements, who are operating against Indian interests and stressed that these actions are a part of the larger agenda of certain powers who would like to keep pressure points on India.
When asked about the reason behind Trudeau government’s support for terrorists, Katoch said, “I think for a very long time, there are certain countries which have given support to extremist elements, especially Khalistani extremist elements who are operating against Indian interests. And they are residing in countries like the United Kingdom, in Canada, some even in Germany, and some are in the United States. Now, I think this is part of a larger agenda of certain powers, where they would like to keep pressure points on India and India is becoming a strong economy and they would like to slow down that growth rate. So, these are pressure points, simply pressure tactics which they are using and they actually propagate getting these terrorists group.”
He also mentioned that one of these terrorists on a fake passport travelled to Canada. However, the Canadian government despite knowing his criminal intent settled him in Canada and made him a Canadian citizen.
Dhruv Katoch said, “One of these terrorists actually has gone to Canada on a fake passport. And after that, knowing fully well that he had done a criminal intent, the government of Canada has still overlooked that. He went on a fake ID, they overlooked that and they have actually settled him in Canada and made him a Canadian citizen.”
“This points to a much larger conspiracy by which they are deliberately stoking elements who are facing charges of terrorism in India and who have now escaped to Canada and they’re being supported by the government. I think there are much larger interests involved there in a deliberate ploy to keep India down,” he added.
In a statement on Monday, India “strongly” rejected a diplomatic communication from Canada suggesting that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats were “persons of interest” in an investigation and termed it as “preposterous imputations” and part of the political agenda of the Justin Trudeau government.
In a hard-hitting statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Trudeau’s hostility to India has long been in evidence and his government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists “to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada”.
“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 statement said.
“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,” it added.
The statement said that High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma is India’s senior-most serving diplomat with a distinguished career spanning 36 years. He has been an Ambassador in Japan and Sudan, while also serving in Italy, Turkiye, Vietnam and China. The aspersions cast on him by the Government of Canada are ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt, the statement said. (ANI)
