External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said Bharat
is not ruling out an investigation into Canada’s allegations about the
involvement of the Indian Government’s agents in the killing of a Khalistani
terrorist in that country but wants it to provide evidence to back its claims.
Jaishankar made the comments in response to questions
during a conversation with veteran journalist Lionel Barber titled ‘How a
Billion People See the World’ here.
“If you have a reason to make such an allegation
please share the evidence because we are not ruling out an investigation…,” Jaishankar,
who is here on a five-day official visit to UK, said while responding to a
question.
He emphasised that Canada has not shared any evidence
with Bharat to support its allegations.
The ties between Bharat and Canada came under severe
strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in
September of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of
Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia. Bharat
had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.
Bharat has rejected Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd”
and “motivated”.
Jaishankar said freedom of speech and freedom of
expression comes with a certain responsibility and the misuse of those freedoms
and the toleration of that misuse for political purposes would be very wrong,
referring to the pro-Khalistani activities in Canada.
Jaishankar said he was in touch with his Canadian
counterpart Melanie Joly on the issue.
He recalled the attacks on the High Commission of Bharat
in Canada, or smoke bomb attacks on the High Commission and Consulate General,
and said Indian diplomats were intimidated in public, with no action from the
Canadian authorities against culprits.
Last week, Prime Minister Trudeau underlined that a “fight”
with Bharat was not something Canada wanted to be having right now but
reiterated his allegations and said Ottawa wants to “work constructively” with
New Delhi on this “very serious matter”.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said Bharat has
conveyed to US side its serious concerns over increasing activities of
pro-Khalistani elements in Canada.
“Insofar as Canada is concerned, we have been having
very consistent conversations with all our friends and partners. Our position
on this matter has been enunciated and explained in full detail on multiple
occasions,” Kwatra said in New Delhi recently.
Days after Trudeau’s allegations in September, Bharat temporarily
suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to
downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity.
Bharat resumed some visa services in Canada last
month, more than a month after they were suspended.
On China, Jaishankar said that the 2020 deadly clash
in the Galwan Valley has vitiated the relationship between the two countries.
He said China did not adhere to the agreements of 1993
and 1996 not to amass troops at the Line of Actual Control as he asserted that
such acts of not following pacts have consequences in terms of credibility.
PTI
