Justin Trudeau is under pressure for jeopardising Canada’s relations with India (File)
Ottawa:
The Indian community in Canada has criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations against India, terming them as “childish” and have asked for concrete evidence to back the same. Mr Trudeau recently made allegations about the Indian government’s involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“Trudeau’s allegations are childish. All his talks are in the air. There are only one to two per cent extremists here in Canada, the rest of the Sikhs do not go with them. They have their own views,” an Indian community member in Canada, Amandeep Singh Chabba, said.
Mr Amandeep said, “The Canadian PM should have given concrete evidence for his allegations. This has resulted in divide and polarization in India-Canada relations. Trudeau’s actions make me want to cry.”
Mr Amandeep further said that even big issues can be solved at the table and through diplomacy. “I want to request both nations to come at the table, talk and solve the issue,” he said.
Another community member, Dr Raj Jagpal, said the Canadian government is creating a divide between the Hindus and Sikhs in Canada. “This is very wrong. Trudeau should either resign or he should resolve the matter because there is no difference between Hindus and Sikhs. The government is creating this divide to get votes,” he said.
Indo-Canadian Manjeet Bir said: “We pray to the government to maintain peace between both nations so that people remain happy. The Indian community in Canada is worried, are praying day and night for things to get better.”
Last Thursday, Mr Trudeau said his country stands by the international rules-based order and repeated his charge on India’s role in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar stating that there are “credible reasons” to believe the same.
Addressing a press conference at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Mr Trudeau said, “As I said on Monday, there are credible reasons to believe that agents of the Government of India were involved in the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil. That is …there is something of utmost foundational importance in a country’s rule of law in a world where international rules-based order matters…we have rigorous and independent judges and robust processes…”
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has assured the Canadian side to take action if they provide specific information in connection with Nijjar’s killing, adding “We are open to looking at it.”
Speaking at a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Mr Jaishankar said, “We told the Canadians that this is not the government of India’s policy. Secondly, we said if you have something specific and if you have something relevant, let us know. We are open to looking at it…The picture is not complete without the context in a way”.
Mr Jaishankar further said that there has been a lot of “organised crime” in Canada in the last few years, and the Indian government has given a lot of information to Canada regarding this.
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