India reacts furiously to Canada step, rejects charge against envoys

India on Monday rejected the recent diplomatic communication from Canada suggesting that the Indian high commissioner and other diplomats are ‘persons of interest’ in a matter related to an ongoing investigation in that country. 

Calling the allegations baseless and politically motivated, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) ascribes them to the political agenda of Justin Trudeau's government which is centered around vote bank politics.

“India now reserves the right to take further steps in response to these latest efforts of the Canadian Government to concoct allegations against Indian diplomats," the MEA said.

`No shred of evidence'

The MEA said PM Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, but the Canadian Government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Indian Government, despite many requests. This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains.

"Mr Trudeau’s hostility to India has long been in evidence. His Cabinet has included individuals who have openly associated with an extremist and separatist agenda regarding India," it said.

His naked interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard. That his Government was dependent on a political party, whose leader openly espouses a separatist ideology vis-à-vis India, only aggravated matters. Under criticism for turning a blind eye to foreign interference in Canadian politics, his Government has deliberately brought in India in an attempt to mitigate the damage.

This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains.

Indian envoys `persons of interest'

High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma is India’s senior-most serving diplomat with a distinguished career spanning 36 years. He has been ambassador to Japan and Sudan, while also serving in Italy, Turkiye, Vietnam, and China. The aspersions cast on him by the Government of Canada are ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt, the MEA said.

The Government of India has taken cognizance of the activities of the Canadian High Commission in India that serve the political agenda of the current regime. This led to the implementation of the principle of reciprocity regarding diplomatic representation. India now reserves the right to take further steps in response to these latest efforts of the Canadian Government to concoct allegations against Indian diplomats.

(By arrangement with livemint.com)