NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consult opposition leaders and political heads on the “extremely sensitive and critical” matter of bilateral relations with Canada.
Amid escalating tensions between the two nations, Ramesh said in a post on X, “The Indian National Congress certainly hopes and expects that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take into confidence the Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament and the leaders of other political parties on this extremely sensitive and critical issue of India-Canada relations.”
This comes after a significant diplomatic move earlier on Monday, when India expelled six Canadian diplomats.The ministry of external affairs (MEA) summoned Canada’s Charge d’Affaires, Stewart Wheeler, to convey India’s strong objection to what it described as the “baseless targeting” of its diplomats in Canada. The government made it clear that the actions against its officials were unacceptable.
Canada too, on Monday, expelled six Indian diplomats in relation to what it said was “a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India”.
In a statement, the MEA announced the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats, including Stewart Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner, and several other high-ranking officials. “They have been asked to leave India by or before 11:59 pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024,” the statement read.
This diplomatic standoff follows allegations from Canadian law enforcement authorities. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme claimed that they had uncovered information linking agents of the Indian government to criminal activities, including threats against the South Asian community, particularly those affiliated with the pro-Khalistan movement.
Duheme further alleged that Indian diplomats had used their official positions to conduct “clandestine operations”, gathering information and engaging in other covert activities in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his government has shared all relevant information about these allegations with its Five Eyes partners, particularly the United States. The allegations center around the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian national and designated terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), who was killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey in June 2023.
Relations between the two nations have deteriorated sharply since Trudeau’s parliamentary address last year, where he claimed “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing. India has vehemently denied the accusations, branding them as “absurd” and “motivated.” In its response, the MEA said that Canada has allowed extremist and anti-India elements to thrive on its soil, further straining diplomatic ties.
The MEA also warned that India reserves the right to take further actions in response to what it describes as the Trudeau government’s support for extremist and separatist activities against India.
As diplomatic relations between the two nations continue to sour, all eyes are on the Indian government to see whether Prime Minister Modi will heed the opposition’s call for broader consultations on the issue.