Diplomatic relations between Canada and India are worsening. The fly in the ointment is principally the Khalistani movement or its activities on Canadian soil with suspected political support or a sense of ‘tolerance’ from the ruling Liberal Party of Canada led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. While the Khalistani movement has lost its support in Punjab after years of mayhem and violence, it is sought to be resurrected within India through aggressive campaigning in Canada and elsewhere. Such attempts in the UK have not gained traction but the threat is visible there too. India cannot remain oblivious to attempts by Khalistanis to disrupt peace here through its actions abroad.
Trudeau’s political instincts are, however, not different from that of the Indian politicians. His attempt is to play vote bank politics by retaining or increasing support for him through steps to woo the eight lakh strong Sikhs there – immigrants from India – who form around two per cent of Canada’s population. Notably, some prominent Sikhs there are close associates of Trudeau and his party. In the process, he might as well be playing into the hands of Khalistanis who, like any other terrorist outfit, can cause serious law and order problems within Canada in due course of time. Terror outfits have played a major role in the massive disruption of life in Pakistan in the past few decades – there too with political patronage to spite India. The recent inclusion of floats linked to the 1984 assassination of Indira Gandhi at some Khalistani roadshows in Canada is a case in point. The Khalistanis were behind the Kanishka Airline bombing in 1985, which had killed some 300 passengers on Canadian soil. That was at the height of their separatist offensives in Punjab. Khalistanis are already vitiating life in Canada with their massive involvement in drug and human-trafficking – shady actions that help them fund their outfit.
Relations between Canada and India were additionally strained now with Canada expelling an Indian diplomatic mission staff following allegations that the envoy played a role in the liquidation of a Khalistani separatist leader in Canada. India responded to the Canadian step with more seriousness. New Delhi’s suspension on Thursday of the visa processing at its embassy in Canada by citing “operational” reasons, as also the retaliatory expulsion of a senior Canadian diplomat and an intelligence officer from New Delhi should send the right signals to Trudeau. India’s first priority is to protect national interests even as it may have adverse consequences vis-à-vis migration of people from here to Canada, which is happening on a substantially large scale from some states at present.
