Ottawa: India Canada Diplomatic Row: In a sign that the feud between India and Canada is likely to expand and continue at least in the near-term, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday (October 14) accused India of having committed a "fundamental error". Speaking at a press conference in Canadian capital Ottawa, Trudeau lashed out at India repeating his claim that India was supporting criminal activities inside Canada against Canadians. He said that given the diplomatic tension between the two countries, the upcoming meet between national security advisors (NSA) of both countries was 'incredibly important'. The NSAs are scheduled to meet in Singapore this weekend.
"The Indian government made a fundamental error in thinking that they could engage in supporting criminal activities against Canadians, here on Canadian soil, be it murder or extortion. This is absolutely unacceptable," said Trudeau.
"When I spoke to PM Modi at the end of last week, I highlighted how incredibly important meeting between our national security advisors in Singapore this weekend was going to be. He was aware of that meeting and I pressed upon him that the meeting needs to be taken very, very seriously," he said.
Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly were alongside Trudeau during the press conference.
Although he maintained that Canada was ready to work with India, the tone of his words appeared to say that the ball was in India's court.
"We don't want to be having this fight, but obviously the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil is not something that we can ignore as a country," Trudeau said
Last year, Trudeau made a statement in the Canadian parliament and accused 'agents' of India of having been behind killing of pro-Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has denied the claims outright and has asked Canada to provide concrete evidence which India says it has not received till date.
But Trudeau disagreed.
"So every step of the way we have apprised India of what we know. I've spoken directly with Prime Minister Modi. We have engaged with intelligence counterparts, and unfortunately, every step of the way, both after I made the statement in the House of Commons last September and till now, the response of the Indian government has been to deny, to obfuscate, to attack me personally and the integrity of the government of Canada and its officials and its police agencies," he said.
The Latest Chapter in India-Canada Spat
Relations between the two countries have already been under strain after Trudeau's parliament speech last year. A fresh chapter began when Canada sent diplomatic communication to India saying Indian High Commissioner in Canada Sanjay Verma along with some other diplomats were 'persons of interest' in a murder probe.
India trashed Canadian claims in a strong statement.
"The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics," said the statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs.
India then summoned Canada's Charge d'Affaires in India Stewart Wheeler and conveyed that such claims by Canada were 'unacceptable'.
India proceeded to withdraw six diplomats including Sanjay Verma from Canada and expelled six Canadian diplomats from India.
