India expels Canadian diplomat in tit-for-tat move
New Delhi (PTI): India on Tuesday announced expulsion of a senior Canadian diplomat, in a tit-for-tat to Canada expelling an Indian official after alleging a "potential" Indian link to the killing of a Khalistani separatist leader in June.
Canadian High Commissioner to India Cameron MacKay was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and informed about the decision to expel the senior Canadian diplomat.
The actions marked a further deterioration in India-Canada ties as they came days after both sides decided to pause their negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement.
The relations between the two countries have been under strain over increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements in Canada.
The MEA said the decision to expel the Canadian diplomat reflects India's growing concern at the "interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities"
"The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days," it said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, India outrightly rejected as "baseless" Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claim of a "potential link" between Indian government agents and the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June
After Trudeau made the comments in Parliament, Canadian Foreign Minister
M lanie Joly announced that a "top Indian diplomat" has been expelled from Canada.
Joly's office said that the diplomat is Pavan Kumar Rai, the head of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), according to Canadian broadcaster CBC news.
In a statement in Parliament, Trudeau claimed that there were "credible allegations of a potential link" between Indian government agents and the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
In strong reaction, the MEA said the allegations of the Government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are "absurd and motivated".
"We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian prime minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their foreign minister," it said.
It said "such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
"The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern," the MEA said.
The MEA said similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and were completely rejected," it said.
Prime Minister Modi and Trudeau had a bilateral meeting on September 10 on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi.
"We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law," the MEA said.
It said Canadian political figures have "openly expressed sympathy" for such elements and that remains a matter of deep concern.
"The space given in Canada to a range of illegal activities including murders, human trafficking and organised crime is not new," the MEA said.
"We reject any attempts to connect Government of India to such developments," it said.
"We urge the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil," it added.
In a statement in the House of Commons on Monday, Trudeau said Canadian security agencies have been "actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar."
"Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty," he said.
In his talks with Trudeau' on September 10, Modi conveyed India's strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada as they are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats and threatening the Indian community there.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
BJP to fight Assam polls on twin planks of development, secure state
Guwahati (PTI): In a bid to win the Assam Assembly elections for the third time in a row, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday advised the state BJP brass to fight on twin planks: development and a secure state.
Shah, who wound up a two-day visit to Assam, held a nearly two-hour-long meeting with senior leaders of the BJP state unit at the party headquarters here, with a focus on discussing strategy for the state elections, expected in March-April.
Briefing reporters after the closed-door meeting, BJP Assam president Dilip Saikia said, "Development and a secure Assam will be our twin electoral planks."
He also said that Shah, known for his expertise in electoral politics, has offered valuable suggestions, and based on it, an action plan to retain power in the state will be formulated soon.
“Discussions were held in detail on our organisational and political calendars. Shah ji offered some very valuable suggestions, and we will implement those at the earliest…We will share more details on the action plan soon,” Saikia said.
He further said that the Union minister exhorted the state party leadership to ensure that not only do they secure a ‘massive landslide victory’ but also bag more seats than in the previous election.
The BJP currently leads a coalition government in Assam with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), while the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has also extended support.
In the 126-member Assembly, the BJP now has 64 legislators, while its allies AGP, UPPL and BPF have nine, seven and three memnbers, respectively. In the opposition camp, the Congress’ strength is 26, while AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) one. There is an Independent legislator also, belonging to Raijor Dal.
Saikia said that the party will continue to contest the state polls in coalition with its NDA allies, which was also favoured by Shah.
Dismissing reports of chinks in the ruling coalition, the Lok Sabha MP said, “As far as the NDA is concerned, we are united in Assam. There could be discussions about some issues on individual party forums.”
The saffron party has maintained that its alliance with the regional parties will continue, and formalities like seat-sharing arrangements are being worked out.
Shah, who was on his second visit to the state within a month, attended two other events in Dibrugarh and Dheamji earlier in the day. He left for West Bengal after the meeting at the Guwahati state party headquarters.
