Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Mounting pressure on Justine Trudeau, who just survived a parliamentary vote and is trying to fight anti-incumbency ahead of next year’s general elections, India on Saturday junked the Canadian Prime Minister’s claim of a chat with PM Narendra Modi, saying there was “no substantive discussion” between them, the media reported on Saturday.
Trudeau is on a politically slippery wicket after the pro-Khalistani political outfit New Democratic Party (NDP), led by separatist Jagmeet Singh, withdrew support to his Liberal Party in September. Also, the main Opposition Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poillievre, has condemned the Trudeau government on the Khalistani issue, making things difficult for the Canadian PM.
PMs Modi and Trudeau met this week on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos. Trudeau had claimed that he raised concerns over the “safety of Canadians” in a brief exchange with PM Modi. By “Canadians” he meant the Khalistanis who are either Canadian citizens or have taken refuge there.
During a press conference on Friday, Trudeau said he addressed “the work that we need to do” alluding to tensions between the two nations after he accused India of involvement in the 2023 killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Nijjar had taken refuge in Canada shortly before his death.
Responding to Trudeau’s claims, officials in New Delhi said that the two leaders came face-to-face, but there “was no substantive discussion.”
“India continues to expect that anti-India Khalistani activities will not be allowed to take place on Canadian soil and that firm action, which is lacking thus far, will be taken against those advocating violence, extremism, and terrorism against India from Canadian territory.”
India raised concerns over growing extremism in Canada, citing the increasing nexus between extremist groups and organized crime, drug syndicates, and human trafficking. “This should be a concern for Canada as well.”
While India values its relationship with Canada, officials stressed, that the bilateral ties “cannot be repaired unless the Canadian government takes strict and verifiable action against those who actively pursue anti-India activities and have conspired to promote hate, disinformation, communal disharmony, and violence in India as well as Canada.”
Trudeau described his interaction with PM Modi as a “brief exchange,” but did not divulge specific details.
“What I have said many times is that the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any Canadian government, and that’s what I’ll stay focused on,” he said.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, chief of Khalistan Tiger Force and wanted by the Indian government, was killed in a targeted shooting in Canada’s Surrey in June 2023.