Prime Minister Modi asks Canadian government to uphold rule of law

New Delhi: “Strongly” condemning the recent attack on a Hindu temple in Canada, along with reported attempts to intimidate Indian diplomats, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the Canadian government to uphold the rule of law in their country.

Modi emphasized India’s “steadfast resolve” to seek justice from the Canadian government.

In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Prime Minister Modi said: “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.”

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement today condemning the acts of violence “perpetrated by extremists and separatists” at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario yesterday.

The MEA Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, called on the Government of Canada to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks. “We also expect that those indulging in violence will be prosecuted. We remain deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada,” he stated.

India made it loud and clear that the outreach of its Consular officers to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment and violence.

At a time when Canada has placed India on its list of enemy countries, India noted that Canada placed India in a certain category under a report on cyber matters and said this “appeared to be another example of a Canadian strategy to attack India”. Jaiswal claimed senior Canadian officials had “openly confessed” that they were seeking to manipulate global opinion against India. “By saying absurd and baseless things, they are accusing us. This is absolutely not right,” he said.

Canadian Opposition leaders even cancelled a scheduled Diwali event in Canadian Parliament recently, prompting India to remark that it was “unfortunate that the prevailing atmosphere in Canada has reached high levels of intolerance and extremism”.

Earlier, Canadian government officials even targeted Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, which compelled India to summon a representative of the Canadian High Commission. A diplomatic note was handed over to the Canadian representative about the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security proceedings in Ottawa on October 29, 2024. The note conveyed that the Government of India protests in the strongest terms to “the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison.”

India claimed that the revelation that High Canadian officials deliberately leaked “unfounded insinuations to the international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view the Government of India has long held about the current Canadian government’s political agenda and behavioural pattern”.

Besides, India also formally protested to the Canadian government about the continued surveillance of some of India’s consular officials. These officials, India claimed, were recently informed by the Canadian government that they had been and continued to be under audio and video surveillance, and their communications were also intercepted.

India maintains that Canada has provided no evidence supporting the “serious allegations” that it has levelled against India and Indian diplomats. New Delhi has made it loud and clear that the responsibility for the damage that “this cavalier behaviour” has caused to India-Canada relations, lies with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alone.

“We have formally protested to the Canadian government as we deem these actions to be a flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions. By citing technicalities, the Canadian government cannot justify the fact that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation. Our diplomatic and consular personnel are already functioning in an environment of extremism and violence. This action of the Canadian government aggravates the situation and is incompatible with established diplomatic norms and practices,” Jaiswal said, adding that such irresponsible actions will have “serious” consequences for bilateral ties.

India has repeatedly accused Trudeau of playing at the hands of the pro-Khalistan forces who are working out of Canada. Last year, a float depicting the assassination of our former Prime Minister was used in a procession in the Nagar Kirtan parade in Malton, Canada. Besides, display of posters of Indian diplomats were also put out across Canada threatening violence against them.

It is for a while now India has been calling upon the Government of Canada to stop providing criminal and secessionist elements a safe haven and political space in Canada.

– global bihari bureau