Indian high commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Verma said India’s approach right from the beginning was collaborative and wanted to deal with the concerns raised by Canada through diplomatic channels.
The envoy to Ottawa speaking to the Hindustan Times said that India sought specific and relevant information from Canada on the accusations levelled against India by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who alleged India played a role in the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, top Khalistani extremist leader, who was murdered in June this year.
“Our own approach towards resolving this issue has always been collaborative. What we have been saying right from the beginning is that unless you share something specific and relevant with us, what do we look into? How do we help you?” Verma was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
“Our approach right from the beginning was to deal with the entire issue through diplomatic channels, but at the same time, to have the information which could be relevant to this purpose and which could be specific to this purpose,” he said.
Verma said that relations between India and Canada will return to normalcy only if Canada takes note of India’s concerns in Canada. He said India is concerned that Canada is giving space to extremists and terrorists.
“No country in the world, which is a responsible member of the UN, should allow its soil to be used by its own citizens to dismember a friendly country. Secessionist calls coming out of Canada, in the context of India, is certainly something which is unfriendly,” the high commissioner to Ottawa further added.
Verma said until this ‘core issue’ is not tackled there will be no diplomatic or political ‘satisfaction’.
The envoy pointed out that despite the troubles India-Canada trade relationship is doing well and investment “is on a positive track”. He said the relationship between both countries is not marked by “negativity” and pointed out that people-to-people ties between India and Canada also remain positive.
Speaking on the India-Canada Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), Verma said Canada pulled out of the talks when they were at an advanced stage. He said India has not tied the trade issues with the allegations.
He told the Hindustan Times that he will look forward to the resolution of the Nijjar case in Canada. “There is a crime committed and, according to the Canadian laws, whatever is the legal process, that should take place. And then, we’ll look at the outcome,” Verma added.
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