Veena Sikri Condemns Canada’s Surveillance of Indian Diplomats
Veena Sikri, the former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, has criticized Canada’s alleged surveillance of Indian diplomats, calling it “completely unacceptable.” Sikri expressed concerns over Canada’s increasing aggression towards India without evidence. She highlighted that Canadian authorities initially described the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a gang war, but later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement, escalating tensions.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India has formally protested against Canada’s actions, labeling them as “flagrant violations” of diplomatic conventions. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned Canada’s justification attempts, describing them as harassment of Indian diplomats.
Additionally, Sikri criticized Canada’s admission of leaking sensitive information about India’s alleged foreign interference to The Washington Post. She described these actions as “bizarre” and “unacceptable,” accusing Canada of maneuvering global opinion against India.
India has denied all allegations made by Canada, calling them “absurd” and “motivated,” while accusing Canada of harboring extremist elements. The Indian government remains firm in taking strong actions against these allegations.
Doubts Revealed
Veena Sikri -: Veena Sikri is a former Indian diplomat who served as the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh. A High Commissioner is like an ambassador, representing India in another country.
High Commissioner -: A High Commissioner is a senior diplomat who represents their country in another country, similar to an ambassador. In the Commonwealth countries, like India and Bangladesh, the term High Commissioner is used instead of ambassador.
Surveillance -: Surveillance means watching or monitoring someone closely, often secretly. In this context, it refers to Canada allegedly watching Indian diplomats without their knowledge.
Diplomats -: Diplomats are people who represent their country in another country. They work to maintain good relationships between countries and handle international issues.
Ministry of External Affairs -: The Ministry of External Affairs is a part of the Indian government responsible for managing India’s relationships with other countries. They handle things like foreign policy and international agreements.
Diplomatic conventions -: Diplomatic conventions are rules and agreements that countries follow to ensure good relations and proper conduct between their diplomats. These rules help maintain peace and cooperation between nations.
The Washington Post -: The Washington Post is a well-known newspaper based in the United States. It reports on important news from around the world, including politics and international affairs.
Extremist elements -: Extremist elements refer to people or groups with radical views who may use violence to achieve their goals. In this context, India is accusing Canada of allowing such groups to operate within its borders.
