Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau solutions a query throughout query interval within the Home of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, June 18, 2024. | Picture credit score: AP
Canadian parliamentarians noticed a second of silence to mark one yr because the assassination of Khalistani separatist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18, in an indication that bilateral relations between India and Canada are more likely to decline additional, regardless of of a gathering between the 2 international locations. The prime ministers of two international locations, Narendra Modi and Justin Trudeau, in Italy on June 14.
Khalistani teams have been additionally allowed to carry processions in numerous Canadian cities, the place they shouted slogans in opposition to India over the homicide and referred to as for a trial in opposition to Indian officers and Modi. This got here a day after Trudeau mentioned that “conserving Canadians protected” (in reference to the Nijjar homicide) was a precedence in his talks with Modi.
The Overseas Workplace declined to touch upon the Canadian Parliament’s choice to commemorate Nijjar’s dying, which was made following an “settlement between representatives of all events within the Home,” in line with the speaker of the Home of Commons. Canada, Greg Fergus. Mr. Nijjar was needed on terrorism costs by the Indian authorities, which had included him on its listing of terrorists below the Illegal Actions (Prevention) Act. New Delhi had additionally requested Ottawa to extradite him to India.
Monument to the Kanishka assault
Nonetheless, in what seemed to be a direct response to the Canadian parliament’s actions, the Indian consulate in Vancouver introduced on June 19 {that a} memorial occasion could be held subsequent week to mark the anniversary of the assault on an Air India Kanishka airplane. that was flying in Montreal. Bombay Route, carried out by Khalistani separatists in 1985. The assault killed 329 folks, together with 268 Canadians and 24 Indians. The consulate urged the Indian diaspora to attend.
“India is on the forefront of combating the specter of terrorism and dealing carefully with all nations to handle this international menace,” the consulate wrote on its social media, asking folks of Indian origin in Canada to “stay be part of the occasion in a present of solidarity in opposition to terrorism.”
Preserving Canadians protected’
The assembly between Modi and Trudeau on the sidelines of the G-7 summit in Italy was the primary time the 2 had met head to head since Trudeau, in September 2023, accused Indian “authorities brokers” of being concerned in Nijjar’s assassination and ousted the pinnacle of India’s intelligence station primarily based in Ottawa. India responded by canceling visas, expelling a Canadian diplomat and ordering the energy of the Canadian Excessive Fee to be decreased by two-thirds. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has since arrested 4 Indian nationals, however has but to announce any proof connecting them to the federal government.
After assembly with Modi, who solely tweeted a photograph within the change with a quick remark, Trudeau mentioned the 2 prime ministers had “dedicated to working collectively” to resolve essential points.
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“Now that he [Mr. Modi] “After his election, I feel now we have a possibility to have interaction, even on some very critical points associated to nationwide safety and the safety of Canadians and the rule of legislation,” Trudeau mentioned in an interview in June. 17, indicating that the Nijjar case remained a high precedence.
Robust contrasts
Whereas neither New Delhi nor Ottawa commented on the 2 separate commemorative occasions, they mark the anniversaries of the Air India bombing, the worst act of terrorism in Canada, and the homicide of Mr. Nijjar, who was needed on terrorism costs in India. , highlights the stark distinction between them.
Whereas India has raised the difficulty of Canada offering protected haven to Khalistani teams accused of terrorism, who’re planning to carry a “referendum” for a separate state in India, Canada has raised the difficulty of Canadian sovereignty and the rule of legislation, accusing India of “interfering” in Canadian affairs. Moreover, Canada has disputed Indian claims that it has not shared proof within the Nijjar case to this point, and has additionally denied that it’s blocking Indian requests for the extradition of Canadian residents needed for terrorism.
