It was reported in print media that pro-Khalistan slogans were raised at a recent “Khalsa Day Parade” in the Canadian city of Toronto that was addressed by none other than Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.It was in the fitness of things that India summoned the Canadian deputy High commissioner in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest “at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event.”
NewDelhi said this showed the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence “that havenot onlyimpacted India-Canada relations but also encouraged a climate of violence and criminality in Canada.” The latest diplomatic spat signalsyet another setback to the bilateral ties.
Footage showedpro-Khalistan slogans being chanted by elements in the crowd at the end of Mr. Trudeau’s address. In his speech, the Canadian PM was quoted as saying, “To the nearly (8 lakhs) Canadians of Sikh heritage, we will always be there to protect your rights and freedoms and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination.”
Chowdhry Nisar Ahmed
Noorullah pet, Ambur (T.N.)
PM Narendra Modi’s and Rahul Gandhi’s speeches inappropriate
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speeches during election campaigns were mostinappropriate. The Election Commission shouldenforce the model code of conduct and take action on it.
The PM said the Congress would collect all the country’swealth and give it all to Muslims. He said: “That means,they will give it all to those who have more children and are infiltrators.” These are bad remarks for anyone to make.How can a PM make remarks like “they (Congress) won’teven spare your mangal sutra!” He repeated the remarksin Aligarh on April 22.
Rahul Gandhi alsomade speeches that created a linguistic and cultural divide. He levelled baseless allegations against PM, saying the latter wantsonly one language in India, thereby implying that Modi isagainst the Tamil language. The Election Commission shouldtake note of their statements. Why is the Election Commission silent over such tirades?
The world is watching thiselection. PM often makes claims of having improved India’s standing in the world,and of India being the“Mother of democracy”.But in India, his above-mentioned remarks could only lowerthe image of the country.The Election commission on April 25brought PM under its lens for alleged violation of themodel code of conduct by issuing a notice to BJP President on complaints of hate speeches.Similarly, italso sent a separate notice to Congress President forRahul Gandhi on charges of making speeches that create a “linguistic and cultural” divide. The poll panel did notdirectly name the PMand Rahul in connection with theviolations but shared copies of the complaints againstthem that were submitted by various parties.
Anindependent US Congressional research report hasalleged that the scope and scale of human rights abuses inIndia has increased under PM Narendra Modi’sgovernment. “The reported scope and scale of abuses hasincreased under the leadership of PMNarendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist BJP, particularly after their re-election in 2019,” CRS said in its latest three-pagereport.
CRS report comes in the wake of a series ofarticles being published in the American media that arevery critical of the human rights situation in India.
Nazeer Ahmed Kazi
Prof Secab, Vijaypur (Karnataka)