Echoes of duality

Repeated amateurish and immature politicking by the Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau, attending Khalsa Day celebrations recently in Toronto, has led to a fresh row between India and Canada in their diplomatic ties. Disturbingly, in the presence of PM Trudeau, Sikh separatist slogans were raised. It is evident that Canada, under Trudeau, is acting in a brazen manner in an apparent bid to woo Sikh voters to form a strong numerical electorate, especially in Northern Canada, in support of Trudeau and his party. This also signals that once again, political space has been given in Canada to stark separatism, extremism, and violence. This not only adversely impacts Indo-Canada relations but also fosters an atmosphere of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own people.

It may be recalled that Prime Minister Trudeau flew to Toronto from Ottawa on April 28 and politicised the event without caring for the damaging consequences that India and Canada will have from such an irresponsible act, fuelling further cause of Sikh separatism.

The leaders of Canada’s two major opposition parties—Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh—also spoke at the event. Video of Trudeau’s remarks shows spectators shouting “Khalistan Zindabad” (long live Khalistan), referring to the controversial movement to establish a separate Sikh homeland.

Here, it is also pertinent to mention that Trudeau earned India’s ire late last year when he announced in the House of Commons that Canada was actively pursuing credible allegations that India was directly responsible for the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023 outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, BC.

Reacting sharply to Trudeau’s active participation at the separatist-linked event in Canada, India summoned the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, and protested vociferously on this remiss. As it is, India and Canada's diplomatic relations are at their lowest now, with both sides downsizing their number of diplomats in their respective missions. Trudeau has further irked India by openly announcing that Canadians would always be there to protect the Sikhs’ rights and freedoms, as well as defend the Sikh community against alleged hatred and discrimination.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post, perceived to be an anti-Indian newspaper, accused the Indian intelligence services of two assassination plots in Canada and the US, alleging that an officer in India's intelligence service was directly involved in a foiled plan to assassinate a US citizen, who is one of the Indian Prime Minister’s most vocal critics in the United States. It further charged that the officer was also involved in the separate shooting death of a Sikh activist last June in Canada. On its part, India's Foreign Ministry said The Washington Post report has made "unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter," while New Delhi is already investigating the issue.

Earlier, in November last year, US authorities had said an Indian government official directed the plot in the attempted murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and dual citizen of the United States and Canada. India has expressed concern about the linkage and denied any complicity, saying it would formally investigate the concerns of the United States and take 'necessary follow-up action' on the findings of a panel set up last year.

Not to be cowed down by the level of allegations by the West, particularly the US and The Washington Post, India responded rather rationally to the paper’s input regarding the assassination plot of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Terming the report as unwarranted and unsubstantiated, an Indian spokesperson clarified there was an ongoing investigation of the high-level committee, and hence such mindless allegations are nothing but irresponsible. It would, therefore, appear that the US is ceaselessly targeting India as India is in the midst of its parliamentary elections and its resolve to become a significant international player as an economic and military powerhouse poses a challenge to the “might” of the Western countries, especially the US.

Judging by these developments, it would seem that the West is likely to further intensify its pressure on India on some pretext or the other to take away the country’s sheen, as such allegations have no foundation. Both diplomacy and intelligence operations have been prevalent among all countries worldwide from time immemorial. Diplomatic courtesies do not mean to attack other countries’ actions to protect their territorial, security, and sovereign interests, and there are occasions when there is no shouting in public, but the problems are solved through back channel diplomacy and quiet manoeuvrings. Sadly, however, the West has clearly departed from this age-old practice by maintaining double standards and by making unsubstantiated allegations against India. The US, in the past, was notorious and brash in toppling governments in South and Central America, and then the media was not so hyped, hence it escaped any harsh criticism from the international community and even the UN. Thus, the West would do well to exercise cautious restraint, look at its own tainted track record before making wild allegations against countries that are well within their rights to defend their country’s integrity and security, which are paramount and do not merit any compromise.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, Adviser NatStrat, and a former National Security Advisor in Mauritius. Views expressed are personal