As India-Canada diplomatic row intensifies, govt and Opposition largely on the same page

Badal said the developments in the last two days had spread panic among Punjabis in Canada. His meeting with Shah came after the Ministry of External Affairs announced it was temporarily suspending visa services for Canadian citizens given the “security threats” faced by India’s High Commission and Consulates in Canada.

“Briefing the Home Minister in the former’s office during a meeting in Parliament, the SAD president informed Amit Shah that he was receiving distress calls from Punjabis in Canada worried about safe and smooth travel facilities to their homeland. He said similarly students were apprehensive about their future. There is a sense of panic and both governments should find a solution to this crisis as soon as possible,” the Akali Dal said in a statement.

Badal said he had conveyed to Shah the sentiments of Punjabis and urged him that the relationship between the two countries needs to be settled at the top level. The Akali chief said he had also made an appeal to the Canadian government.

Akali leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia said the row between the two countries was the “most unfortunate”. “Stopping visas for Canadian nationals will not only further strain ties but will also create problems for lakhs of Indians, including a large number of Punjabis that have settled in Canada and are now Canadian citizens. I urge the governments of both nations to resolve issues amicably through dialogue. This is the only way out,” he said.

Congress MP targets Justin Trudeau

Speaking in a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Ludhiana MP Bittu said India’s foreign policy from the time of Jawaharlal Nehru to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had always leaned towards non-aligned movement. “If I talk about the Congress, we have also taken a strong stand against Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s statement in Parliament … I am Sikh, Sikhs are an emotional community. Sikhs have played a major role in India’s independence. So a deliberate effort is being made to divide them…”

“We (India) have become strong. We have always, be it Russia, we have taken a line, be it China we have taken a line, be it Russia-Ukraine conflict we have taken our own line. The NATO forces are supporting one side but India has taken its own stand and many countries are troubled by this. So, now a prime minister — and this has not happened after the Second World War — is speaking against our country and our prime minister in his Parliament. When Trudeau’s father was the prime minister, the Kanishka bombing took place, even investigation of that could not take place,” Bittu said, referring to the bombing of an Air India flight in 1985.

Bittu said Canada had given refuge to Nijjar who, he alleged, was the “right-hand” man of Jagtar Singh Hawara who was convicted in the assassination case of his grandfather and former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. He said Nijjar was killed in a gang war. “The investigation is underway and they are blaming our country’s agencies. And another terrorist, his name is (Gurpatwant Singh) Pannu, he has declared that they will not allow Hindus to live in Canada … kitni badi daraar daaline ki koshish ki hai (how they have tried to sow differences)…”

The Congress MP said Canada had given refuge to eight of the ten “gangsters and terrorists” who figure in the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s wanted list. “They are sending drugs to India and Punjab … several gurdwaras are in the control of people like Nijjar and Pannu and the offerings made at these Gurdwaras, lakhs of dollars and pounds, go to Trudeau’s party and his ministers. That is why he is talking in favour of half per cent of the people.”

Bittu said Indians in Canada should give a resounding reply to Trudeau. “If your aircraft developed a snag and you were stranded here for 36 hours, is it our mistake? You are giving such a statement in Parliament,” the Congress leader said, referring to how the Canadian PM stayed back in Delhi for a couple of days after the G20 Summit ended on September 10 because of technical problems in his aircraft.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, who was in the chair, intervened and said Trudeau’s aeroplane had developed a snag in 2018 too when he visited India. “Batao sir, let’s request the House that we get him a new plane …,” Bittu said.

Mahtab then added that the Union government had offered him a plane to take him back to Canada. “Woh bi nahin maane. Toh galti hamari thodi hai (he did not agree, is that our fault?),” Bittu asked. When Mahtab asked whether he was supporting the Indian government’s foreign policy, Bittu said, “Certainly, if they ask for any Canadian citizen, any gangster, any terrorist who is hiding in India we will send him back in a day. But those who ordered the killing of Sidhu Moosewala are living in Canada. The killings that are happening in Punjab, the killings are being done by gangsters sitting in Canada,” he said.

But, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring requested the government to revoke the decision to temporarily suspend visa services. “Many Indians, particularly Punjabis, are permanent residents or are Canadian citizens. The suspension of visa services for Canadian nationals will create problems for them to visit India during this festival season, including the upcoming festival of Diwali. I request the Government of India and the Ministry of External Affairs to revoke the decision to suspend visa services for Canadian nationals,” said Warring who has dismissed Trudeau’s allegations as “ridiculous”.