Harsha Kakar
The India-Canada diplomatic spat on the alleged killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has ensured that ties between the two nations have hit rock bottom. Senior diplomats on both sides have either been withdrawn or expelled. Such a move only occurs during conflict between states, implying that Canada has pushed relations to levels of open conflict.
Communications between New Delhi and Ottawa have come to a grinding halt. Work in missions in both nations has stalled. While Canada claims it has provided proof of Indian involvement, India denies the same. There is an interplay between ‘credible allegations,’ ‘credible evidence’ and ‘intelligence.’Canada claims it has ‘intelligence’ and has levied ‘credible allegations.’ India states it has not provided ‘credible evidence.’
In Canada, only Jagmeet Singh, a Khalistan supporter and head of the New Democratic Party, joined Trudeau in his criticism of India. This was expected as Jagmeet Singh is banned from entering India. Jagmeet left his press conference in a huff when questioned on his suggestions and accusations.Despite withdrawing support, Jagmeet is propping up the Trudeau government.
The Canadian opposition and much of its press criticized Trudeau’s government for its half-cocked accusations. On social media Trudeau is accused of supporting Sikh extremists. In India, all political parties and media houses, despite differing on issues with the BJP, have joined hands and backed the government in its stand.
The latest burst of Canadian accusations, flowed soon after 20 Liberal MPs, signed a letter demanding Trudeau’s resignation, whilst he was attending the ASEAN summit and at which he was rebuked by PM Modi. He had sought a bilateral with the Indian PM, a request which was denied, bruising his fragile ego. His mention of a brief conversation with Modi was countered by the Indian spokesperson, indirectly calling Trudeau a liar.
For Trudeau, political survival implied switching media and national attention from demands for his resignation, due to his failed policies and dropping popularity ratings. Accusations against India flowed in a collection of media interactions involving the PM himself, his foreign minister, Melanie Joly, as also the investigating agency, the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police).
Even here there were differences. While Trudeau and Joly stated that India was targeting Canadians, the RCMP mentioned India was only looking at Khalistanis. The RCMP claimed that India exploited Bishnoi gang members in Canada. India had sought extradition of these very individuals in 2022, denied by Canada.
Melanie Joly suggested that sanctions could also be considered, which was laughed at by members of the press, aware that Canada’s fragile economy could never risk it.Simultaneously, Canadian trade minister Mary Ng stated that the ‘Canadian government remains fully committed to supporting the well-established commercial ties between Canada and India.’
Such a high-powered press interaction was aimed at throwing everything, true or false, to prove that their claims were correct and they had requested India to cooperate, which it refused. Surprisingly, no charge sheet has yet been filed with the courts, though some Indians, on student visas, granted by the Canadian government, are under arrest.
India, on the other hand, has ignored Canadian accusations, denying them outright. PM Modi has never gone public in countering Trudeau, leaving it to the MEA spokesperson. For India, Canada is no major entity which necessitates extra attention.
Simultaneously, the nation smirking in the background is Pakistan. Its policy of supporting the Khalistan movement is paying dividends. CSIS (Canada’s intelligence agency)Deputy Director, Vanessa Lloyd, testifying before the foreign interference inquiry commission mentioned, ‘Pakistan conducts intelligence operations and transnational repression in Canada with the goal of supporting Khalistani extremism.’
Speaking to the same committee, Trudeau admitted that Canada possesses no ‘evidence’ but only ‘intelligence’ on Indian involvement. Nations don’t mar relations based on intelligence unless leaders have a personal agenda.
Trudeau has been desperately calling his allies from the ‘five eyes’ an intelligence sharing group, for support. Either Trudeau or his foreign minister have spoken to their counterparts in these nations, sharing their perspective of India being responsible. The impression being conveyed is that of a child howling for attention and sympathy.
In every conversation, Trudeau requested that India be asked to cooperate. None volunteered to approach India. Only the US passed a vague comment. Its spokesperson mentioned, ‘we wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not. They have chosen an alternate path.’ The statement hinted that though we desire cooperation, we do not insist.
India, on the contrary, having nothing to hide, ignores Canada’s desperate cries. Indian foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar, would discuss the subject at some pointduring one of his interactions. Currently only statements from the MEA spokesperson are available.
India has always highlighted Canada’s duplicity, which was evident last week when Canada listed Samidoun, a pro-Palestinian group in whose rally participants chanted ‘death to Canada’ and burned the Canadian flag in Vancouver earlier this month, as a terrorist entity. Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc, mentioned, ‘Violent extremism, acts of terrorism or terrorist financing have no place in Canadian society or abroad.’This is exactly what the Khalistan movement has been doing.
Khalistan activists burn the Indian flag, call for an end to India, place a bounty on the head of its High Commissioner, prevent diplomatic staff from conducting their duties as also destroy its diplomatic properties. Yet are protected under free-speech and possibly Canada special ‘permitted-violence’ rules.Sikh extremists charged for murders in India are provided police protection in Canada.This is Trudeau’s Canada, which protects criminals of other nations, while deriding their own protestors.
The Samidoun movement has been termed a terrorist entity in Canada and the US, while the Khalistan movement, acting in a similar manner is protected. The messaging is clear. North America will protect those who help them apply pressure on allies but sanction those who challenge their own. No doubt where differences lie.
If this is how the Trudeau government differentiates between groups advocating violence, then why should India adhere to his requests and cooperate. A nation seeking cooperation must display impartiality and share evidence, not just ‘illegally obtained intelligence.’ Protecting criminals, turning a blind eye to threats, is not how nations seek cooperation. India can no longer be pressured or compelled to act.
The author is Major General (Retd)
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