India slams Justin Trudeau’s ‘One India’ comments

A day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke about the ‘One India’ policy, India on Thursday said ‘no action’ has been taken against anti-India elements as it suggested there is a ‘gap’ between action and words.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal also told reporters that New Delhi has in recent years reminded Ottawa to take action against anti-India activities in that country.

He was responding to a question about Trudeau’s comments while testifying before the public inquiry into foreign interference in federal election processes and democratic institutions.

“We have seen comments from Prime Minister Trudeau that he believes in ‘One India’ policy, but so far the actions we have been asking for are against anti-India elements who are actually against ‘One India’, who are calling for dismemberment and division of the country, embracing separatist ideology… no action has been taken,” Jaiswal said.

“In a sense there is a difference, there is a gap here between action and words,” he added.

As the Canadian Prime Minister testified before the Commission of Inquiry, the MEA said early Thursday that what it has heard only “confirms” New Delhi’s consistent position that Canada “has not provided us with evidence” to support the serious allegations that Ottawa has made expressed. India and Indian diplomats.

Trudeau acknowledged on Wednesday that he only had intelligence and not “hard evidence” when he alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.

The MEA issued a statement in the early hours of Thursday in response to media queries regarding Trudeau’s statement, some details of which emerged in media reports.

“What we have heard today only confirms what we have consistently said all along: Canada has not provided us with any evidence to support the serious allegations it has chosen to make against India and Indian diplomats,” the MEA spokesperson said in the press conference . statement.

The ministry further said, “The responsibility for the damage this arrogant behavior has caused to India-Canada relations lies solely with Prime Minister Trudeau.” During the press conference on Thursday evening, Mr Jaiswal was also asked about the future direction of India-Canada relations.

“This is an evolving situation, so we’ll see,” he said.

The escalation of diplomatic conflict between India and Canada marks a major deterioration in the already frosty relations between the two countries.

Relations between the two countries came under serious strain following Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s murder. New Delhi dismissed Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd”.

India has maintained that the main issue between the two countries is Canada’s giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating with impunity from Canadian soil.

Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year.

To a question about the safety of Indian or Indian nationals in Canada, Mr Jaiswal said about 17-18 lakh Indian origin, as well as Indian citizens, live in Canada, and “their safety is important”.

It is owned by the Canadian government and “we hope they will keep them safe,” he added.

Asked about the visa situation, he said the “visa situation was not very good”.

Asked about the reports of alleged harassment of some journalists of Indian origin in Canada, the MEA spokesperson said, “These are clear examples of intimidation and violence by those who openly espouse extremist and separatist ideologies.” “These are also examples of what is plaguing Canada today and reveal the sources of violence. Putting the blame on India does not work in any way,” he said.

To a question about former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said, “As we said earlier, she had come here at short notice for security reasons and she still remains here.” To a question regarding a report on the possible resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan, and if it was discussed on the sidelines of the SCO conclave in Islamabad, Mr Jaiswal said, “It was not discussed.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)