Downturn in India-Canada relations result of licence given to extremist elements: MEA

New Delhi: The downturn in India-Canada relations is a result of the licence given to secessionist and extremist elements in Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

The MEA also rejected insinuations made by the Canadian government on India and hoped the two countries can rebuild ties based on mutual respect and sensitivity. The information was shared by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in response to a written question in Lok Sabha about actions taken by the govt to address the issue of the recent diplomatic standoff between India and Canada.

“The downturn in India-Canada relations is a result of the licence given to secessionist and extremist elements in Canada. The Government of India has repeatedly urged the Canadian government to take prompt and effective action against all anti-India elements operating from its soil,” the minister said. “This includes preventing secessionist and extremist elements from glorifying the assassination of our leaders; issuing threats to our current political leadership and diplomats; disrespecting and vandalising places of worship and espousing for the balkanisation of India by holding so-called ‘referendums’,” he added.