Updated: December 4, 2020 3:07:30 pm
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Reuters)
Days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came out in support of protesting farmersIndia convened the Canadian envoy on Friday and said such actions, if continued, will have a seriously damaging impact on bilateral relations with Canada.
In an official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) on Friday, it said: “The High Commissioner of Canada was summoned today to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reported that the comments of the Prime Minister of Canada, some Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament on issues relating to Indian farmers constitutes unacceptable interference in our internal affairs. “
“Such actions, if continued, would have a seriously damaging impact on ties between India and Canada,” he said.
“These comments have encouraged meetings of extremist activities in front of our High Commission and Consulates in Canada that raise security issues. We hope that the Canadian government guarantees maximum security for Indian diplomatic personnel and that its political leaders refrain from pronouncements that legitimize extremist activism, ”he said.
Earlier this week, when Trudeau spoke out in support of protesting farmers, India had responded sharply on Tuesday against “misinformed comments” on the “internal affairs of a democratic country.”
Speaking to Canadian Sikh community leaders at an online event on the occasion of Gurpurab, Trudeau said: “I would be remiss if I did not start by acknowledging the news from India about the farmers’ protest. The situation is worrying. We are all very concerned about family and friends. We know it is a reality for many of you. Let me remind you that Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protesters. We believe in the dialogue process. We have communicated with the Indian authorities through multiple means to highlight our concerns. This is a time for all of us to come together. ”He also posted a video of the entire interaction on his Twitter account.
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Unsurprisingly, the Indian government reacted harshly. Without naming Trudeau, the official Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said: “We have seen some misinformed comments from Canadian leaders regarding farmers in India. Such comments are unjustified, especially when they refer to the internal affairs of a democratic country. It is also better that diplomatic talks are not misrepresented for political purposes. “
While Trudeau is the first head of a country to speak out about the protests, he is not the only foreign politician to do so. At least a dozen members of parliament from the UK, Australia, Canada and an official from the US Republican Party also expressed support for farmers.
“Reports that peaceful protesters are brutalized in India are very disturbing. Many of my constituents have relatives there and are concerned for the safety of their loved ones. Healthy democracies allow peaceful protest. I urge those involved to defend this fundamental right, ”Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan tweeted.
While India and Canada have a strong bilateral relationship, it has seen ups and downs in recent years as Canadian political leadership has tried to woo the Sikh diaspora. Trudeau’s trip to several Indian cities in February 2018 was marred by the icy behavior of the Indian government, as the Canadian ruling party was seen as supporting some of the pro-Khalistan elements.
The Sikh diaspora is widely present in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and some also have a profound influence on the political system.
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