India Expels Six Canadian Diplomats Amid Rising Tensions
On October 14, India expelled six Canadian diplomats following a meeting with Canada’s Charge d’Affaires, Stewart Wheeler. The Indian government expressed its disapproval of the alleged targeting of its diplomats in Canada, calling it unacceptable. The expelled diplomats include Stewart Ross Wheeler, Patrick Hebert, Marie Catherine Joly, Ian Ross David Trites, Adam James Chuipka, and Paula Orjuela. They have been asked to leave India by October 19, 2024.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the actions of the Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have endangered the safety of Indian diplomats. As a result, India has decided to withdraw its High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and other targeted officials.
India accused the Trudeau government of supporting extremism and violence against India, and reserved the right to take further actions. The MEA criticized the Canadian government for not providing evidence to support its allegations against Indian diplomats, calling them part of a political agenda.
The diplomatic tensions between India and Canada have been escalating since Trudeau’s allegations in 2023 regarding India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has denied these allegations, accusing Canada of harboring extremist elements.
Doubts Revealed
Expels -: To expel means to force someone to leave a place. In this case, India is making the Canadian diplomats leave the country.
Diplomats -: Diplomats are people who represent their country in another country. They work to maintain good relationships between the two countries.
Stewart Wheeler -: Stewart Wheeler is one of the Canadian diplomats who was asked to leave India. He represents Canada in India.
Prime Minister Trudeau -: Prime Minister Trudeau is the leader of Canada. His full name is Justin Trudeau, and he is responsible for making important decisions for his country.
High Commissioner -: A High Commissioner is like an ambassador but for countries that are part of the Commonwealth, like India and Canada. They help manage the relationship between the two countries.
Terrorist’s death -: This refers to an incident where a person accused of being a terrorist died. There are allegations about who might be responsible, which is causing tension between India and Canada.