Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said India has valued our relationship with Canada, and we have not escalated our concerns beyond a certain point. His comments came amid a deteriorating relationship between India and Canada over the Khalistan issue.
"...We have valued our relationship with Canada, and we have not escalated our concerns beyond a certain point, though we have, I'm sure, conveyed them at various levels to the Canadian authorities. It's a relationship we've always valued...I would have expected that Canada would value the relationship as well, but, the extraordinary decision of the PM to go public with an allegation without a shred of evidence, of Indian government complicity in a murder in his country," he said.
Tharoor said he was shocked by the developments and Canadian politics has led to a situation where a very valued relationship between 2 countries has been thrown into jeopardy.
"It shocks me to be very frank...it really looks like it's doubling down on the pandering to a certain political element, in that country. We know the government, is dependent upon certain support. And perhaps this is why they needed to do that. Elections are also coming up very soon. So for all of these reasons, Canadian politics has led to a situation where a very valued relationship between 2 countries has been thrown into jeopardy..," he added.
The Congress MP asserted it was very dangerous development that immigrants to Canada have become Canadian citizens and they were focusing on how to actually do damage to their country of origin.
"We are now seeing a new phenomenon where immigrants to Canada have become Canadian citizens but are not doing anything in Canadian politics. They're focusing on how to actually do damage to their country of origin. To my mind, that is a very dangerous development. And, Canada really has to examine its own approach to these people," he elaborated.
Tharoor on Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing
He said he was aware of the killing in Canada but there was no evidence that show any connection with the Indian government.
"It's all very well to claim outrage that a citizen has been killed in Canada. In any case, there is, as far as I'm aware, no evidence that any Indian government body had anything to do with it because we know that, unfortunately, this fringe terrorist group has a number of factions... So, my own view is that could have been any other explanation for what happened. In any case, whatever's happening, why their own citizens are allowed with impunity to behave in this manner, threatening the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and good, interests of a friendly country. There's something only the Canadians can answer," Tharoor said.
Also read: Canada is becoming a safe haven for terrorists and extremists: India hits out at Trudeau
