The relationships between Canada and India have nosedived ever since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. What makes the allegation astonishing is that Canada has so far been unable to produce any evidence in support of its claim. Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force, was wanted in India. Though the onus is on Trudeau to substantiate his sensational charge, he has taken fresh potshots at India in utter disregard of diplomatic niceties.
Astonishing as it may sound, he took an indirect dig at New Delhi, saying that the world would turn into a “more dangerous” place for all “if bigger countries can violate international law without consequences.” After all the damage that he has done to the bilateral ties, Trudeau needs to show some maturity. His latest jibes reek of an amateurish way of handling relations with strategic friends. He should focus on the growing extremism and religious fanaticism in his country and take demonstrable actions to prevent the misuse of freedom of expression, growing attacks on places of worship and discrimination against racial minorities. The crux of the problem is that Canadian politics, over the years, has given space to extreme political opinions which advocate separatism from India, including through violent means. Such separatist elements have not only been accommodated in Canadian politics but have also been given the freedom to articulate their views and organise their activities. India opposes the action of giving platform to these separatists.