With anarchists masquerading as farmers running a riot across India’s national capital on the country’s Republic Day last month, their protests have been forced into a corner, as agitators lose any little sympathy that they had gained over the past few months solely for keeping their demonstrations peaceful. With multiple rounds of talks between the protestors and the government failing solely due to the obstinacy of the agitators camping on the borders of Delhi, the people of India have realised that some ulterior motives are acting as a hindrance towards any resolution being reached between the farmers and the Centre. Canada, meanwhile, where a sizable pro-Khalistani population resides, has maintained a stony silence on the issue of farmers’ protest for close to two months now. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada and a messiah of Khalistanis had last spoken of the agitation in December, after which the Indian government had strongly rebuked him, effectively telling the man to mind his own business.
Ever since, Trudeau has not spoken a word about the ongoing protests, despite the January 26 violence on the streets of New Delhi.
In December, Justin Trudeau had said, “Canada will always be there to defend the right to peaceful protest. We believe in the importance of dialogue and that’s why we’ve reached out through multiple means directly to the Indian authorities to highlight our concerns.” When probed as to whether his statements on the issue will have any ramifications on bilateral ties between Canada and India, Trudeau remarked, “Canada will always stand up for the right of peaceful protest and human rights.”
This was followed by a stern warning from India’s side, with the MEA saying that such comments by none other than Prime Minister Trudeau had “encouraged” extremist activities outside the Indian missions in Canada. “These comments have encouraged gatherings of extremist activities in front of our High Commission and Consulates in Canada that raise issues of safety and security. We expect the Canadian Government to ensure the fullest security of Indian diplomatic personnel and its political leaders to refrain from pronouncements that legitimize extremist activism,” MEA had said.
With India making it clear that haphazard remarks by Justin Trudeau or those in the Canadian government would have damaging consequences for bilateral ties between the two countries, there has been a stony silence on the part of Trudeau for two months now.
This, even though Khalistani organisations have been mounting pressure on the Canadian government to intervene and lambast the Indian state for its so-called ‘atrocities’ against farmers.
It must be remembered that the Canadian Parliament is in session, and vested interest groups and opposition parties are tirelessly working to elicit a response from the Trudeau government. Leader of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) Jagmeet Singh has started a petition campaign on his party’s official website, which reads: “The Indian government’s use of violence on farmers protesting mass privatisation of the agricultural sector is appalling…I am calling on Justin Trudeau to condemn the violence, immediately.”
Evidently, Justin Trudeau fears an imminent backlash from the Indian side if he dares saying a word on the ongoing protests, which are purely an internal matter of India requiring no foreign preachers sermonising the Modi government.