Canada affirms support for India's territorial integrity amid diplomatic tensions
New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic statement, Canada has reaffirmed its commitment to respecting India’s territorial integrity, signaling a potential thaw in relations strained by last year's allegations involving the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent figure in the Khalistan separatist movement.
Canada's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Morrison, made the declaration during a foreign interference commission hearing in Ottawa over the weekend. "Canada's policy is very clear that India's territorial integrity must be respected. There's one India, and that's been made very clear," Morrison stated. This is the first formal statement of this kind since diplomatic ties between the two countries soured over allegations made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2023.
The rift between the two nations was triggered when Trudeau accused Indian government agents of being "potentially" involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and leader of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force. Nijjar, one of India’s most-wanted terrorists, was fatally shot by unknown assailants outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. India had rejected Trudeau's allegations, calling them "absurd" and "politically motivated."
While reaffirming Canada's support for India's territorial sovereignty, Morrison also addressed the contentious issue of pro-Khalistan elements within Canada. He acknowledged that while the activities of these groups may be "awful" to some, they remain "lawful" under Canada's protection of freedom of speech. "There are things that many of us do not want to see, but they are protected by law," he added.
Morrison's remarks about “One India” were interpreted as a clear signal of Ottawa’s desire to mend ties with New Delhi, especially as the relationship between the two nations has experienced a sharp decline over the past year. The statement was also seen as an effort to distance the Canadian government from the stance of Khalistani separatists, many of whom are Canadian citizens.
Diplomatic relations between India and Canada reached a low point after Trudeau's initial allegations and Canada's perceived tolerance of pro-Khalistan activists. Trade talks were derailed, and a series of mutual diplomatic actions followed. In June 2023, the Canadian Parliament observed a moment of silence in memory of Nijjar, which further aggravated tensions. India responded by organizing a memorial in Vancouver to honor the 329 victims of the 1985 Air India bombing, perpetrated by Khalistani terrorists.
Despite these tensions, Canada has been attempting to reach out to India, especially since the re-election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year. Trudeau expressed hope for resuming discussions on “serious issues” concerning national security, the rule of law, and safeguarding Canadian citizens.
India has long voiced concerns about Canada becoming a hub for pro-Khalistan separatist activities, accusing the country of providing political space for such movements. In response to the Nijjar killing, Canada arrested four Indian nationals as part of its ongoing investigation, but New Delhi has consistently stated that "political interests" are influencing the situation.
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'MCC-Modi's Code of Campaigning': Cong's dig at EC
New Delhi (PTI): Ahead of the assembly polls schedule announcement by the Election Commission, the Congress on Sunday took a swipe, saying since 2014 the MCC has come to stand for "Modi's Code of Campaigning which will be full of defamation, abuses, intimidation, fear-mongering, and spreading the virus of lies."
The opposition party also claimed that the poll schedule announcement "would have been given the go-ahead by the G2, since G1 would have completed this round of inaugurations, ribbon-cuttings, flag-offs, and launches".
The Congress frequently uses the term 'G2' to take swipes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who are both from Gujarat.
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In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Election Commission will announce the schedule for the 2026 assembly elections at 4 PM today. It would have been given the go-ahead by the G2, since G1 would have completed this round of inaugurations, ribbon-cuttings, flag-offs, and launches."
"The Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will soon come into effect. But since 2014 this has come to stand for Modi's Code of Campaigning which will be full of defamation, abuses, intimidation, fear-mongering, and spreading the virus of lies," Ramesh said.
The MCC is a set of conventions agreed upon by all stakeholders during the elections. Its objective is to keep campaigning, polling and counting orderly, clean and peaceful and check any abuse of state machinery and finances by the party in power.
The Election Commission will announce dates for assembly polls in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry on Sunday evening.
The terms of these legislative assemblies are ending on different dates in May and June.
Final electoral rolls of the four states and the Union territory of Puducherry have been published as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list.
