Trudeau's Nijjar Allegations Had Dual Impact on India-Canada Relations: Former Envoy
Former Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, has revealed that the allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding India's involvement in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar case inflicted a two-fold damage: severely harming bilateral ties and tarnishing India's international reputation. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Verma detailed how this diplomatic episode led to a significant freeze in cooperation between the two nations.
Bilateral Relations Put on Hold
Verma explained that the immediate consequence was a complete halt in diplomatic and economic engagements. Everything was put on hold, including the downsizing of missions, suspension of the EFTA agreement, and delays in early progress trade agreements. High-level visits ceased, resulting in a loss of two years of potential collaboration. He emphasized that this stagnation was a direct result of the political narrative propagated by the Trudeau government.
Furthermore, Verma highlighted the personal toll on diplomats, stating, "Canadians thought that we six, who have been declared persona non grata, are actually criminals. We are not diplomats." This mischaracterization not only affected official relations but also damaged the emotional fabric and reputation of Indian representatives abroad.
Reputational Damage and Political Motivations
The former envoy underscored the long-term impact on India's image, questioning who would amend the harm done. "Now that damage to our reputation, that damage to our emotional fabric. Who is going to amend that? We are soldiers for our country, and we'll take it in stride. But I always would say that my colleagues have been treated very badly by this Canadian narrative, which I think was falsely created," he added.
Verma reiterated India's consistent stance that the judicial process in Canada should handle the crime without holding bilateral relations hostage. "Even at that time, what we had been maintaining was that yes, there is a crime committed in Canada. The judicial process should see it through and reach a finality, but this should not allow the bilateral relation to be hostage to this particular episode," he said.
Hope for Restoration Under New Leadership
Thankfully, Verma expressed optimism with the current Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, who has taken steps to mend ties. "Thankfully, the present Prime Minister of Canada, Prime Minister Carney, has been able to see through it, and what he has done is that he has not taken the case off the court, which is going on, so that is still there, but he has moved ahead with other relationships with India and he had a very successful visit to India as I see...The convergence between India and Canada is so high that we can look at much better days of bilateral relations in the coming years and decades," Verma stated.
He described the earlier accusations as politically motivated, aimed at vote-bank politics, and lacking evidence. "We always said that this is politically motivated; we always said that this is vote-bank politics; we always said that there is no evidence available to say so. And we are glad that this is coming true, and finally they will see India for what it is, a deep civilization and India, which doesn't interfere with any other country's internal affairs," Verma emphasized.
Background of Diplomatic Chill
The diplomatic tensions between India and Canada escalated in 2023 when New Delhi raised concerns over Canada's perceived leniency towards Khalistani extremist elements. Trudeau's allegations that Indian agents were involved in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Canada further strained relations. Canada's subsequent diplomatic communication labeling Indian diplomats as "persons of interest" was strongly rejected by India as "preposterous imputations" and part of a political agenda, leading to the recall of Verma and five other diplomats.
Verma concluded with hope for the future, stating, "I hope this augurs well for the future relationship between the two countries." Both nations have since worked to normalize ties, culminating in Prime Minister Carney's visit to India, marking a positive step towards rebuilding trust and cooperation.
