NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments on the agitation of farmers in India were “unnecessary”, “disconnected from the realities on the ground” and “served simply to fan the flames,” a group of former Indian ambassadors said Monday in a rigorously worded open letter. condemning what they called “vote bank policy in Canada”.
When interacting with the Sikh community last week, on the anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came into controversy with his comments about the protests by farmers in India. Trudeau had said that “the situation is worrying and we are all very concerned about family and friends.”
“Such blatant interference in the internal affairs of India to appease a section of the Liberal Party’s voter base is completely unacceptable and cannot help but cast a long shadow over bilateral relations,” the open letter reads.
Farmers in India have been protesting for more than two weeks demanding the repeal of the new farm laws and want a new law that guarantees them the Minimum Subsistence Price (MSP).
However, the letter, signed by at least 22 retired diplomats, underscored that Canada’s support for the MSP demand of Indian farmers contradicts the stance it took at the WTO, where Canada was one of the loudest critics of the system of MSP of India.
The former diplomats said Ottawa conveniently ignored that the Indian government, in good faith, has been holding ministerial-level talks with representatives of the agitating farmers.
The letter said that while Canadian investment in India is well positioned to scale, “however, the fact is that it is not uncommon for bilateral political equations to develop tension due to the propensity of certain Canadian political parties and leaders to engage in the vote bank policy. ”
The letter also condemned Canada’s indifference to the separatist and violent Khalistani elements who “carry out anti-India activities, from the safety of Canadian soil.”
“They (the Khalistanis) are also radicalizing Canadian youth with far-reaching consequences, which are being ignored at the altar of short-term political expediency,” the letter read.
Khalistani elements in Canada control a number of prominent Gurudwaras, giving them access to substantial funds, some of which are allegedly diverted to the election campaign of political parties, especially liberal ones, the former diplomats said.
The Indian diaspora of nearly 2 million people comprises more than 5 percent of the Canadian population, of which the Sikh community is close to 700,000.
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