Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has escalated tensions with New Delhi, linking a Khalistani terrorist’s killing with the “agents of the Government of India”. The crisis deepened as India expelled a Canadian diplomat on Tuesday in a reciprocal move after Ottawa cast out an Indian envoy. A top diplomatic source told CNN-News18 that the actions of Trudeau, who faces flagging popularity in his own country, reek of “immaturity” and “frustration”.
The official said that Trudeau appears to be attempting to court the Sikh lobby in Canada that holds significant electoral influence. He also seems to be smarting after a disastrous India trip during the recent G20 summit, when he got the cold shoulder from New Delhi and also had to face embarrassments like his aircraft refusing to fly him back home, said the official.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a wanted Khalistani terrorist, was killed in June in British Columbia, raising tensions between Sikh separatists and the Indian government.
“Canada has declared its deep concerns to the top intelligence and security officials of the Indian government,” Trudeau said on Monday in the Ottawa legislature, adding that he raised those concerns “personally and directly” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.
There are close to 1.4 to 1.8 million Canadians of Indian origin, and Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside Punjab.
The diplomatic source told CNN-News18 that Trudeau approaching fellow G7 countries over the row was an act of “venting his frustrations” and it was not going to affect India.
The official added that the Canadian PM could have shared any evidence of an Indian hand in the Nijjar killing with New Delhi during his visit for the G20 summit. Making such a serious allegation in Canada’s parliament without producing any proof is a sign of Trudeau’s immaturity, said the source.
Comments
0 comment