India on Friday summoned the Canadian High Commissioner and informed that comments by the country’s parliamentarians including Canadian Prime Minister on ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi could have a seriously damaging impact on bilateral ties.
“The Canadian High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today and informed that comments by the Canadian Prime Minister, some Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament on issues relating to Indian farmers constitute an unacceptable interference in our internal affairs,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
“Such actions, if continued, would have a seriously damaging impact on ties between India and Canada,” the statement said.
“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,” it said.
In response to a query on comments by Canadian leaders relating to farmers in India, spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Tuesday said, “We have seen some ill-informed comments by Canadian leaders relating to farmers in India. Such comments are unwarranted, especially when pertaining to the internal affairs of a democratic country. It is also best that diplomatic conversations are not misrepresented for political purposes.”
