Spurned by allies, Trudeau plants ‘leaks’; Canada faces credibility test
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, September 22: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears to be taking desperate measures to pull himself out of ditch into which he jumped by levelling allegations against “Government of India” for killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canadian broadcaster CBC released a report based on anonymous sources making serious claims of human and signals intelligence to implicate Indian diplomats in the killing of Nijjar even while India has accused Ottawa of being a safe haven for terrorists.
The US, Canada’s foremost ally, appears to be spurning all pleas of Trudeau to take up his sensational claim made in parliament wherein he accused the “Government of India” by stating that “there are credible allegations”. The White House echoed Indian charge against Canada, expressing concerns at the attacks on diplomatic missions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reportedly scolded, according to the western media, Trudeau in New Delhi for attacks on the Indian diplomatic missions by the Khalistanis. Trudeau was denied the honour of a bilateral meeting with Modi in New Delhi. The Canadian prime minister was also stranded in New Delhi, while India remained cold to his presence.
The CBC in a report claimed that Canada’s intelligence allies had been in possession of human and signals intelligence involving Indian diplomats in the Nijjar killing case. The social media platforms are full of Nijjar wielding AK-47 assault rifles in Pakistan, while also in the company of the killers of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. National Investigative Agency released names of six Khalistani terrorists, which included three allegedly residing in Canada.
National Security Advisor of the US jack Sullivan also refused to endorse the claims made by the CBC report that President Joe Biden had raised the issue of the killing if Nijjar with Modi, saying that he would not go into the private conversations.
The CBC report made serious insinuations against India without adhering to the basic journalistic standard of quoting known sources, and almost slandered New Delhi by attributing claims to unknown sources, which is known to be a copybook plant ploy at the behest of Trudeau administration. Predictably, the report found no traction in India, and the officials didn’t acknowledge it by reacting to the claims.
The US, while being questioned for stand on the claims made by Trudeau, has struck so far to the standard reply that India should cooperate in the investigation. India on the other hand has charged Canada of being a terror haven, thus equating Ottawa with the likes of Kabul and Islamabad. By echoing Indian anguish against attack on its diplomatic missions in Canada, the US appears to have given a cold shoulder to Trudeau even while the western media eats out of the hands of the Canadian prime minister to further fan insinuations against India.
The Opposition in India has thrown its weight behind the government on the issue, calling for all measures to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the country. Head of the communication department of the Congress Jairam Ramesh sought measures to protect the interests of the Indian students and professionals in Canada.
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