While Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly seeks private talks with India to resolve the diplomatic dispute over the murder of Khalistani separatist-terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, New Delhi is unlikely to soften its stand on Canadian diplomats. India has categorically said that Canadian diplomats interfere in our internal affairs. India has already told Canada to withdraw around 40 diplomats by 10 October amid diplomatic spat between the two countries over Ottawa’s allegations about New Delhi’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar on Canadian soil.
A diplomatic source told The Daily Guardian that India is adamant on its decision to strip off the diplomatic immunity of any Canadian diplomat if they remained in the country after 10 October. Moreover, the Indian diplomats see contradictions in the statements made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the country’s foreign minister Joly. While Trudeau wants to engage India ‘responsibly’ and be on the ground to help “Canadian families”, his foreign minister says, “We will continue to engage privately because diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private.
“Neither the PM nor the FM is talking about any evidence that could establish the allegations against India. They are not talking responsibly it seems,” says an official here. Indian officials see Joly’s remarks as Canada’s attempt to sound a bit softer even as a report came up saying that India has told Canada to withdraw dozens of diplomats from the country. “Where are the arrests so far despite the fact that the murder happened in Canada?,” ask diplomats in New Delhi.
The Canadian foreign minister was quoted by a section of press saying, “We are in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats’ safety very seriously and we will continue to engage privately because we think diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private.” On this, the officials ask, “Did Canada show the same level of seriousness and concern when Khalistani terrorists were threatening Indian diplomats in Ottawa?” “If Joly talks to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to share her concerns, she would be given a tough message only,” says a diplomat. Foreign Minister Joly’s statement came a day after New Delhi told Ottawa to recall more than two dozen of its diplomats from India.
Sources say, “Canada does not deserve any kind of leniency as it always continued to show non-cooperation in investigations into acts of terrorism on its soil. India shared evidence with it against Khalistani terrorists on many occasions, but Ottawa continued to ignore it” a diplomat said.