Govt should clearly articulate its stance: Cong on Trudeau's allegations

The Congress on Wednesday said the government should clear its stance on the allegations made by Canada and the US which are tarnishing India's global image and take the opposition into confidence.

The opposition must be fully informed as safeguarding India's global standing is a shared responsibility, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.

"Our nation's international image as a country that believes in and adheres to rule of law is at risk, and it is crucial that we act together to defend it," he said on X.

He said the Congress has already asked the Prime Minister to take the Leaders of Opposition in both Houses of Parliament, and other political leaders, into confidence on the "serious charges levelled against the government of India by USA and Canada".

He said this demand is necessitated by the worsening India-Canada relations and growing concerns about India-US ties.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pointed fingers at India in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and also linked the Indian High Commissioner to the probe.

India has strongly rejected attempts by Canadian authorities to link Indian agents with criminal gangs in Canada with official sources even saying that Ottawa's assertion that it shared evidence with New Delhi in the Nijjar case was simply not true.

Ramesh said the allegations made by Canada, now backed by several other countries, are threatening to escalate, tarnishing India's global reputation and damaging Brand India.

"It is imperative that the Government of India promptly and clearly articulate its stance on this issue," the Congress leader noted.

"On matters relating to national security and foreign policy, the nation must always be one," the Congress leader asserted.

India expelled six Canadian diplomats and withdrew its High Commissioner in Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, earlier this week terming Canada's allegations as preposterous and part of a political agenda centred on vote-bank politics.