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Extremists getting space in Canada a worry for India, says foreign secretary
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra says India has repeatedly conveyed its “deep concerns” to Canada and New Delhi expects Ottawa to take strong action against anti-India elements.
India on Wednesday said its main issue with Canada continues to be the political space that Ottawa provides to anti-India elements which advocate extremism and violence.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said India has repeatedly conveyed its “deep concerns” to Canada and New Delhi expects Ottawa to take strong action against those elements. His comments came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Italy to attend the G7 summit. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among the leaders of the G7 advanced economies attending the annual summit.
Kwatra’s response came at a media briefing when asked about the frosty India-Canada ties and Trudeau’s recent remarks about the rise of right wing forces across the globe. “We have just concluded our general elections. I am sure everybody would agree that this was the largest democratic exercise in the history of humankind,” Kwatra said.
The foreign secretary said around 640 million people voted in the polls and that the vibrancy of India’s democracy was “truly” recognised and appreciated across the world. “I really don’t want to say anything on what somebody else thinks about how democracy should function but our democracy was in full display with enormous evidence to be seen,” he said.
Trudeau’s remarks came against the backdrop of elections to the European Union and in India. The comments were seen by many as an indirect reference to India as well.
The ties between the two countries came under severe strain following Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. New Delhi rejected Trudeau’s charges as “absurd”.
There have been instances of pro-Khalistani elements threatening to harm Indian diplomats. Asked about vandalisation of a Gandhi statue in Italy, Kwatra called it deplorable and said the matter has been taken up with Italian authorities and suitable rectification has already taken place.
