Blitz Bureau
The ties between both India and Canada soured further with India expelling six Canadian diplomats following Canada’s allegations against Indian diplomats calling them ‘persons of interest’ in a murder investigation. Those expelled included the acting high commissioner and deputy high commissioner. They have been asked to leave India by or before October 19.
Earlier, in a firm rebuttal, India summoned Canada’s charge d’ affairs in Delhi Stewart Wheeler over unacceptable allegations against Indian diplomats. Not only this, India has called back the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials to India stating no trust in current Canadian Government’s security.
Early on October 14, India strongly reacted to Canada’s allegations against Indian diplomats calling them ‘persons of interest’ in a murder investigation.
In a detailed statement India rejected these allegations and called them preposterous imputations calling out the political agenda of the Trudeau Government centered around vote- bank politics.
An excerpt from the statement read, “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 stated that “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 and all these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech”.
