The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday said it has summoned a senior Canadian diplomat to protest what it termed “absurd and baseless references” against Home Minister Amit Shah in connection with the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Speaking at a press conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We had summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission yesterday. A Diplomatic Note was handed over in reference to the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.”He added that India lodged its protest “in the strongest terms to the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison”.Jaiswal further criticised the Canadian government’s actions, describing them as a deliberate strategy to malign India. “The revelation that high Canadian officials deliberately leak unfounded insinuations to the international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view Government of India has long held about current Canadian Government’s political agenda and behavioural pattern,” he said. “Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties.”He further said, “There’s extremism, a culture of violence in Canada. We hope Canada will look at it.”
The Ongoing Diplomatic Row Between India, Canada
India expelled six Canadian diplomats and also recalled the Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma from Ottawa after he and other Indian diplomats were declared “persons of interest” by Canada in an investigation into the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist, who has been granted citizenship by Canada.In a subsequent press conference, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar rejected the targeting of India’s diplomats by the Justin Trudeau government, stating that New Delhi will take a tough position when its national interest, integrity and sovereignty are concerned.”We completely reject the manner in which the Canadian government targeted our High Commissioner and diplomats,” Jaishankar said in response to a question. “Unfortunately, the politics of that country is giving that political lobby, perhaps a degree of play which I would argue is not just bad for us and our relationship. I would argue it is bad for Canada itself,” Jaishankar said.
MEA Blasts Canada CSE Report Calling India ‘Adversary State’
The MEA also blasted the Canada CSE Report released on Friday, which listed India as “adversary state” over allegations of cyber warfare. Speaking on the matter, Jaiswal said, “This appears to be another example of a Canadian strategy to attack India. As I mentioned earlier, their senior officials have openly confessed that they are seeking to manipulate global opinion against India. As on other occasions, imputations are made without any evidence.”