Jagmeet Singh's proposal for Canada-India committee rejected by Parliament
- In Reports
- 03:27 PM, Oct 22, 2024
- Myind Staff
Pro-Khalistani leader Jagmeet Singh's attempt to establish an India-Canada committee to investigate allegations of New Delhi's interference in Canadian democracy was rejected by the Canadian Parliament. Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), blamed the Conservative Party for this decision and accused some members of Parliament of being connected to foreign interference from India.
Singh's proposal came at a time of heightened tensions between India and Canada, following the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June last year. He emphasised the need for a united front among all parties in the House of Commons against what he saw as Indian government aggression. “Every party in the House of Commons must show the government of India that we are a united front. That a government like Narendra Modi’s cannot find an ally in this Parliament willing to look the other way, and that we all take foreign interference incredibly seriously. I'm calling for the creation of a Canada-India committee, so parliamentarians can look into this important matter and propose additional steps the government can take to protect Canadians and our country’’ he stated. He believes that it is crucial for Parliament to investigate foreign interference seriously and proposed the creation of a Canada-India committee to address these issues.
Following claims by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) that Indian agents in Canada were collaborating with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to target pro-Khalistan activists, Singh renewed his calls for severe sanctions against India. "I am disappointed that the Liberals shut down our attempt to bring in an India-Canada relations committee. What I'm disappointed by is that this is an ongoing trend with the Liberals...they've put up barricade after barricade to pursue foreign interference. I know that the work of this committee may not look good on the Liberals and on their inaction. But as our Prime Minister himself said that there are Conservative Parliamentarians who are directly connected to foreign interference coming from the Indian government, that needs to be taken seriously," Singh said. He criticised the Liberal government for blocking efforts to investigate foreign interference, suggesting that it was an ongoing trend.
In remarks shared on social media, Singh accused the Indian government of "hiring thugs to terrorise Canadians" and asserted that democracy in Canada was under threat. The diplomatic row between India and Canada intensified last week when India criticised Ottawa for labelling its diplomats as "persons of interest" in the Nijjar murder investigation. India called these claims "preposterous" and downgraded its diplomatic relations with Canada.
In a reciprocal move, both countries recalled six of their diplomats amid escalating tensions, with India expressing frustration over Canada's failure to provide evidence of India's involvement in Nijjar's death and its lack of action against separatist activities on Canadian soil.
Earlier, Singh had also called for a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) network in Canada, labelling it a "violent, militant, terrorist organization from India." He urged Canada to collaborate with allies like the US and the UK to pressure India regarding these concerns. "There has to be accountability. The Indian government must be held to account," he insisted, calling for unity among Canadian leaders in denouncing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and prioritising the safety of Canadians.
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