'May Damage Ties': India Summons Canadian Envoy Over Trudeau's Remark On Farmers' Protest

While citing the comments have led to gatherings of extremist activities, the ministry of external affairs clearly said it would have a seriously damaging impact on ties between India and Canada.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: After the Centre has expressed displeasure over the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau comments on the farmers protest, the Canadian High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday. As per the news agency ANI , the ministry of external services said the comments made 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.  "Such actions, if continued, would have a seriously damaging impact on ties between India and 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," the Center said.

Such actions, if continued, would have a seriously damaging impact on ties between India and 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: MEA https://t.co/kfrzzvgLk6

— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2020

Early this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau became the first international head to raise concerns over the protest by farmers in India against the ruling government's newly enacted agricultural laws. However, strongly reacting to Canadian PM's statement, India termed the remarks as "ill-informed" and "unwarranted" and made it clear that the matter pertained to the internal affairs of a democratic country. In a terse message, the ministry further added that "it is also best that diplomatic conversations are not misrepresented for political purposes." Meanwhile as the farmers’ protest has entered the ninth day, commuters are likely to be face long jams as many Delhi borders are shut in the wake of the protest. Farmers from Uttar Pradesh on Thursday had blocked another important national highway -- NH-24 -- that connects Delhi to Ghaziabad, leaving those travelling from there to the capital city stranded. The Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on NH-24 at Gazipur remains closed for traffic from Ghaziabad to Delhi on Friday, too, as per the news agency PTI report. The Chilla border on the Noida Link road also remained shut for the fourth day on the trot for traffic coming from Noida to Delhi due to the farmers'' protest near Gautam Budh Dwar. The traffic police suggested people to avoid the Noida Link road for coming to Delhi and use the DND flyway instead. Some of the borders including Delhi-Haryana border at Singhu, Tikri, Jharoda Lampur, Auchandi, Safiabad, Piao Maniyari, and Saboli remained closed for traffic movement. The demonstrations are expected to continue as talks between three union ministers and a representative group of thousands of agitating farmers failed to yield any resolution on Thursday.