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Canadian commission requests probe on Indian interference in elections
The commission stated its scope would include interference by China and Russia
PM Modi meets Justin Trudeau / Image - PIB
Canada's federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference wants to probe the potential involvement of the Indian government in the last two federal elections in the North American country.
In a statement released on January 24, the Foreign Interference Commission, set up to probe China’s involvement in influencing the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections, declared that it has formally requested the Canadian government to furnish information pertaining to the involvement of the Indian government.
“Pursuant to its Terms of Reference, the Foreign Interference Commission has requested that the Government of Canada’s collection and production of document relating to paragraphs clause (a)(i)(A) and (a)(i)(B) of its Terms of Reference include information and documents relating to alleged interference by India related to the 2019 and 2021 elections,” said the statement.
When the commission was established in September 2023, it explicitly stated that its scope would include China and Russia, along with the involvement of unnamed "foreign actors" in the elections during the initial phase.
Amid the ongoing strained ties between India and Canada, the Commission, led by a judge, recently stated that the role of India is also within the purview of its investigation.
The Canadian Commission is set to release an interim report by May 3, with the final report expected to be delivered by the end of this year.
Canada-India relations
Last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged India’s involvement in the shooting of a Canadian citizen, Harpreet Singh Nijjar, who had been labeled as a Khalistani terrorist by Indian security agencies.
India strongly denied the accusation, resulting in both countries expelling their diplomats. India also temporarily halted visa services for Canadian nationals, resuming them after approximately a month. Additionally, New Delhi requested Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence to achieve parity, prompting the Trudeau-led government to withdraw over 40 diplomats.
An unsealed US indictment has charged Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national currently in Czech custody, with attempting to hire a hitman to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a lawyer associated with Sikhs for Justice, a group banned by India.
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