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Speaking to CNN-News18, Verma said he was surprised how an elected leader could break a relationship with another country “without any evidence”.
Sanjay Verma pointed out that some extradition requests remained pending with the Canadian government for ten years now.
(File Photo)
Sanjay Verma, Indian ambassador to Canada who was recalled by India, said he was disappointed with what the Justin Trudeau government did. Speaking to CNN-News18’s Zakka Jacob on Friday, Verma said if Canada-India relations were to move forward, “criminal behaviour against India needed to be punished.”
“There is only one condition to move this relationship (India-Canada) in future and that is criminal behaviour against India should be punished,” Verma said.
Verma said he was surprised how an elected leader could break a relationship with another country “without any evidence”.
“It was sad that they did what they did. They have could have used other tools to resolve issues,” Verma said. “I was not only surprised, I felt sad that someone who is an elected leader is breaking a relationship without any evidence. We need something that is legally accessible to lead an investigation. The legality of an evidence is also important, a legal threshold is important,” he added.
Verma also stated how Canada saw him as an enemy and named him. “I was seen as someone who was standing against Canada’s system. I learnt about what all was happening from TV, I was not told, I had no idea. I could not believe someone could be so illogical,” Verma said.
Speaking on the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, for which Canada has blamed India, Verma said, “He could have been killed in gang war but I am very mindful of the fact that the investigation is still on and till that is done in the court, we cannot say much.”
Verma said had such a leak of information happened in India, the officer would have been charged with criminal offence.
There have been reports that India sent multiple extradition requests to Canada over the years but the Trudeau government didn’t cooperate. When asked about the extradition requests, Verma said, “26 requests have been made. Four of them were accepted. While we cannot take names, they included Khalistanis.” Verma pointed out that some requests remained pending with the Canadian government for ten years now.
“Canada’s decision was uncalled for, without any warning or alert they decided to play this game. Trudeau is playing to domestic political lobbies.” Verma said adding that there were sympathisers of Khalistanis in Canada. “The Khalistani extremists and terrorists have got their people into executive and constitutional organisations,” he said.
“This was an ‘agni pariksha’ for me in my career, it’s a lesson learnt to never take things for granted,” Verma said.
Highlighting Canada’s immigration problem, Verma said, “Canada has not been able to build as many houses for the people coming in. They have more immigration than what they can provide for.”
The Trudeau government had claimed the involvement of senior Indian diplomats in a probe related to a case in Canada. The MEA had earlier this month received a diplomatic communication from the Canada suggesting that Verma and other diplomats are ‘persons of interest’ in a matter related to an investigation in that country, without publicly naming the case in question.
The Indian government, following this, recalled Verma and five other diplomats. “The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics,” the MEA had said in a strongly-worded statement.
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