An official investigation conducted to probe allegations of foreign meddling in Canadian elections has concluded that India did not attempt to interfere in Canadian politics during the 2021 polls.
According to findings presented by a panel of senior Canadian officials tasked with monitoring the 2021 elections, there was no evidence of India’s involvement in influencing the national polls.
“I do not believe during the 2021 election that we saw evidence of the Government of India using those tools in the campaign,” stated a poll official during the inquiry proceedings.
In contrast, Canadian intelligence agencies revealed evidence of Chinese interference in Canada’s last two elections, as disclosed in testimonies during the official probe.
These revelations come in the wake of previous claims made by the Canada Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), alleging interference attempts by India and Pakistan in the Canadian elections of 2019 and 2021.
Following the victories of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party in both the 2019 and 2021 elections, growing concerns emerged from opposition legislators regarding media reports suggesting potential Chinese involvement. In response to mounting pressure, Trudeau initiated a commission to investigate allegations of foreign interference.
Trudeau is slated to provide testimony before the probe panel today, shedding light on the government’s response to these concerns and addressing the findings of the investigation.
India had previously dismissed these claims, reaffirming its steadfast commitment to non-interference in the democratic processes of other nations.
“We have seen media reports about the Canadian commission enquiring into… We strongly reject all such baseless allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in February.
“It is not the Indian Government’s policy to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. In fact, quite on the reverse, it is Canada which has been interfering in our internal affairs,” he added.
Canada’s inquiry into foreign meddling has heightened tensions in already strained relationship between the two nations.
Trudeau’s previous allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil have become a flashpoint in bilateral relations between the two nations.
Despite Bharat’s refusal of these allegations as absurd, the fallout resulted in diplomatic repercussions.
