'Naked interference…hostility towards India': MEA slams Canada PM Justin Trudeau over latest allegations

The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations, said MEA in the statement.

India on Monday trashed Canada's diplomatic communication that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are ‘persons of interest’ in a case in the country, calling the allegations “preposterous imputations”. In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) slammed Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, attributing the allegations to his political agenda and vote bank politics.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes his seat during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Canada Summit in Vientiane, Laos. (AP file photo)

"We received a diplomatic communication from Canada yesterday suggesting that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are ‘persons of interest’ in a matter related to an investigation in that country. 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 MEA in the statement.

Canada has accused Indian officials of being involved in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has categorically rejected the claim and has asked for evidence substantiating the grave allegations.

New Delhi today said that Justin Trudeau's hostility to India had been long known.

"Prime Minister Trudeau’s hostility to India has long been in evidence. In 2018, his visit to India, which was aimed at currying favour with a vote bank, rebounded to his discomfort. 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 development targeting Indian diplomats is now the next step in that direction. It is no coincidence that it takes place as Prime Minister Trudeau is to depose before a Commission on foreign interference. It also serves the anti-India separatist agenda that the Trudeau Government has constantly pandered to for narrow political gains," it added.

Referring to Canada's Nijjar allegations, the MEA said the country hasn't shared a shred of evidence with New Delhi. It said that on the pretext of an investigation, the Canadian government was running a smear campaign against India.

"Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian Government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side. 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," it added.

New Delhi said in the statement that the Trudeau government was providing space in Canada for terrorists to harass and intimidate Indian diplomats.

"To that end, the Trudeau Government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada. This has included death threats to them and Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech," it said.

MEA said the allegations against High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma are ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt.

"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," it added.