Trudeau’s 45-minute-long presser on India nothing but playing old tape

New Delhi: Amid escalation of diplomatic tensions, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a press conference on Monday to repeat the claims of having ‘credible’ evidence linking agents of the Government of India to acts of violence and interference on Canadian soil, including the murder of a Canadian citizen and Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.

However, Trudeau remained silent on offering his country's land to Khalistani terrorists for carrying on terrorism activities and drug rackets in India.

The Prime Minister's statement detailed that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has brought forward evidence suggesting ongoing criminal activities by Indian agents. This includes allegations of murder, extortion, and coercion, marking a severe point of contention between Ottawa and New Delhi.

"Today, we are faced with a fundamental error in judgment by the Indian government," Trudeau stated. He announced the expulsion of six Indian diplomats, who were already recalled by India.

Trudeau’s full statement:

“Canada is a country rooted in the rule of law, and the protection of our citizens is paramount. That is why, when our law enforcement and intelligence services began pursuing credible allegations that agents of the Government of India were directly involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian soil – we responded.

“We shared our concerns with the Government of India and asked them to work with us to shed light on this important issue. At the same time, police and security agencies have used all the tools at their disposal to keep Canadians safe. Today, given evidence presented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), we are taking additional steps to protect Canadians.

“As the Commissioner of the RCMP, Mike Duheme, stated earlier today, the RCMP has clear and compelling evidence that agents of the Government of India have engaged in, and continue to engage in, activities that pose a significant threat to public safety. This includes clandestine information gathering techniques, coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians, and involvement in over a dozen threatening and violent acts, including murder. This is unacceptable.

“While attempts have been made by the RCMP and national security officials to work with the Government of India and Indian law enforcement counterparts on this matter, they have been repeatedly refused. That is why, this weekend, Canadian officials took an extraordinary step. They met with Indian officials to share RCMP evidence, which concluded six agents of the Government of India are persons of interest in criminal activities. And despite repeated requests to the Government of India, they have decided not to co-operate. Given that the Government of India still refuses to co-operate, my colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, had only one choice.

“Today, she issued a deportation notice for these six individuals. They must leave Canada. They will no longer be able to act as diplomats in Canada, nor to re-enter Canada, for whatever reason. Let me be clear: the evidence brought to light by the RCMP cannot be ignored. It leads to one conclusion: it is necessary to disrupt the criminal activities that continue to pose a threat to public safety in Canada. That is why we acted. Because we will always – first and foremost – stand for the right of Canadians to feel safe and secure in their own country.

“We will never tolerate the involvement of a foreign government in threatening and killing Canadian citizens on Canadian soil – a deeply unacceptable violation of Canada’s sovereignty and of international law.

“Once again, we call on the Government of India to co-operate with us on this investigation – to put an end to its inaction and misleading rhetoric; to recognize the credibility and severity of the evidence and information we have shared so far; and to reiterate, in no uncertain terms, that its position on extrajudicial operations abroad will henceforth be unequivocally aligned with international law.

“Canada will always defend the rule of law and the fundamental principles on which free and democratic societies are based. We urge the Government of India to do the same.

“I know the events of the past year and today’s revelations have shaken many Canadians, particularly those in Indo-Canadian and Sikh communities. Many of you are angry, upset, and frightened. I get that. This shouldn’t happen. Canada and India have a long and storied history rooted in strong people-to-people ties and business investments, but we cannot abide by what we are seeing right now. Canada fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, and we expect India to do the same for us.

“As Prime Minister, it is my responsibility to provide reassurance to those who are feeling that their safety has been compromised. But most importantly, it is my responsibility to take action and to never hesitate to do what is necessary to protect Canadians. That is precisely what we are doing today.”

The Indian government is yet to respond in detail to today's allegations beyond their initial denial but has reserved the right to take further steps in response to what they describe as Canada's concocted allegations.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement on Monday, said that India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau government's support for extremism, violence and separatism against India.

PM Trudeau's hostility to India has long been in evidence, the ministry said.

“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. His interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard," the MEA said.

Observers of this diplomatic spat termed Trudeau’s presser an attempt to influence Khalistani supporters for the upcoming elections.

“He may think that repeating the same tape may help him electorally but the ongoing conflict demands maturity in handling relations between the two countries which is far more important than any individual ambition,” said a political analyst.