Govt should take opposition in confidence: CPI(M) on India-Canada row

New Delhi: Amid worsening India-Canada ties, the CPI (Marxist) on Tuesday said the government should take the opposition parties into confidence over the row with Canada.

The party said activities of anti-India Khalistani elements operating in Canada have been a matter of serious concern and has a direct impact on national security.

"The Government of India is duty-bound to protect the national interest for which it has the support across political parties in India," the CPI(M) said while noting that the allegations levelled by various authorities of the Canadian government against India have been rejected by the Centre.

"It is to be expected that the Government of India will take the opposition parties into confidence on these issues, including the allegation made about the role of the Lawrence Bishnoi criminal gang," the Left party said.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police alleged that the Bishnoi gang is connected to the “agents” of the Indian government, which is targeting the South Asian community specifically "pro-Khalistani elements" in the country.

India has trashed the allegations.

The relations between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia in June last year. New Delhi rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd".

India on Monday expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced withdrawing its high commissioner and other "targeted" officials from Canada after strongly dismissing Ottawa's allegations linking the envoy to a probe into the killing of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in a major downturn in already frosty ties between the two nations.