NEW DELHI: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday accused India of engaging in activities threatening public safety, including covert operations targeting South Asian Canadians.
Trudeau said that the that Canadian officials had made multiple attempts to collaborate with Indian authorities, but these efforts were rejected.
“As the RCMP commissioner stated earlier they have clear and compelling evidence that agents of the Government of India have engaged in and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety.This includes clandestine information-gathering techniques, coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians and involvement in a dozen threating and violating acts including murder. This is unacceptable. While attempts have been made by the RCMP and national security officials to work with the Government of India and Indian law enforcement counterparts on this matter they have been repeatedly refused,” Trudeau said.
“This is why this weekend Canadian officials took an extraordinary step they met with Indian officials to share RCMP evidence which concluded six agents of the Government of India are persons of interest in criminal activities. Despite repeated requests to the Government of India, it decided not to cooperate,” he added.
Trudeau further said that Canada cannot abide by India’s actions and expects India to respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“I know the events of the past year and today’s revelations have shaken many Canadians particularly those in the Indo-Canadian and Sikh community. Many of you are angry, upset, frightened I get that. This shouldn’t happen. Canada-India has a long history rooted in people-to-people ties, business and trade. But we cannot abide by what we are seeing right now,” Trudeau said.
“Canada fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and we expect the Indian government to do the same for Canada. As PM it is my responsibility to provide reassurance to those who are feeling that the safety has been compromised but most importantly it is my responsibility to take action,” he added.
The candaian PM also asserted the importance of a recent high-level security meeting between Canada and India, following his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trudeau said he emphasised the importance of the upcoming talks between their national security advisors in Singapore.
“During my conversation with Prime Minister Modi last week, I stressed the critical importance of the upcoming meeting between our national security advisors in Singapore. He was fully aware of the significance, and I urged him to ensure that the meeting is treated with the utmost seriousness,” he said.
Trudeau’s reaction came as India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced withdrawing its High Commissioner from Canada after strongly dismissing Ottawa’s allegations linking the envoy to a probe into the killing of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The announcement to recall the High Commissioner came shortly after the ministry of external affairs summoned Canada’s charge d’ affairs Stewart Wheeler over PM Justin Trudeau’s serious allegations against New Delhi.
“The Canadian Charge d’Affaires was summoned by Secretary (East) this evening. He was informed that the baseless targeting of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable,” the MEA said in a statement.
“It was underlined that in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, the Trudeau Government’s actions endangered their safety. We have no faith in the current Canadian Government’s commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials. It was also conveyed that India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau Government’s support for extremism, violence and separatism against India,” the MEA said after meeting Wheeler.