Canada’s Nijjar game

Is Justin Trudeau having a little rethink about his upping the diplomatic ante with India? A day after he accused India of engineering the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, he’s been quoted as saying Canada is not looking to provoke India. Surely, it’s a bit too late, with tit-for-tat diplomat expulsions having already happened. Also, reading carefully between the lines of statements made by Canada’s Western allies, it seems clear that no one, including the US, has come out in support. Media reports indicate some of these allies refused to issue a joint statement with Canada on the Nijjar killing. Will Trudeau get a reality check? We don’t know. What we do know is that there are several problems with what Canada has said.

First, it took this action basis “credible allegations”, not evidence.There’s a world of difference between allegation and evidence. Second,it is India that has a right to complain. It has made repeated representations to the Canadian government about extremist Khalistanis in Canada, who have also been targeting Indian diplomats. Canadian authorities were also warned about the dangers Khalistani groups posed to Canada itself, given their links to global narco networks and Pakistan-backed terror groups. But these extremists get a free pass. Third, Sikhs in Canada may constitute 2.1% of the overall population but fringe radical elements within the community have obtained a disproportionate influence over Canadian politics. In Canadian provinces such as British Columbia, they play a role in mobilising Sikh votes.

This explains Trudeau’s political posturing. He has been facing low approval ratings – a late-August poll found that 56% of Canadians wanted him to step down – heads a minority government and needs an issue to turn his fortunes around. India should simply stand firm and let Trudeau figure out how far he wants to go with this.

This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.

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