In a thinly veiled message to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said cooperation in areas like trade, energy and connectivity is unlikely to flourish if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism. In his address at a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar also asserted that cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality and that it should recognise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations. The external affairs minister led the Indian delegation at the SCO meet in Islamabad which was chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Jaishankar said trust was key for cooperation and the SCO member nations can benefit immensely if the grouping moves ahead collectively. He said cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. "It should recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty. It must be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. It cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit," he said, in remarks seen as an indirect reference to China's assertive behaviour on key issues. "But most of all, our endeavours will progress only when our commitment to the Charter remains firm. It is axiomatic that development and growth requires peace and stability. And as the Charter spelt out, this means being firm and uncompromising in countering the 'three evils'." "If activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel," Jaishankar said. The external affairs minister underlined the need for every SCO member nation to strictly adhere to the charter of the grouping, highlighting its essence of strengthening mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness. "If trust is lacking or cooperation inadequate if friendship has fallen short and good neighbourliness is missing somewhere, there are surely reasons to introspect and causes to address," he said. "Equally, it is only when we reaffirm our commitment most sincerely to the Charter that we can fully realise the benefits of cooperation and integration that it envisages," he added. Jaishankar also referred to various global challenges. "We meet at a difficult time in world affairs. Two major conflicts are underway, each with its own global repercussions. The Covid pandemic has left many in the developing world deeply devastated," he said. "Disruptions of various kinds ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility are impacting growth and development," he said. Jaishankar also described the challenge of debt as a serious concern. "Technology holds great promise, as well as raising a new host of concerns," he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 02:52 PM IST | Islamabad | PTIPresident Joe Biden on Tuesday said Kamala Harris would 'cut her own path' once she wins the 2024 election, allowing for more daylight between him and his vice president as she works to win over skeptical voters three weeks before Election Day. 'Kamala will take the country in her own direction, and that's one of the most important differences in this election,' he said. 'Kamala's perspective on our problems will be fresh and new. Donald Trump's perspective old and failed and quite frankly, thoroughly totally dishonest.' Biden's comments may give Harris more license to stake out her own political and policy stances in the critical closing phase of the presidential race, and appear to go further to distance the two than Harris has herself. The vice president's aides have privately expressed some frustration that the 81-year-old president has been too focused on his own legacy ' and not the race to succeed him. But Harris has of late faced increasing pressure to articulate how she'd govern differently from Biden, a question trickier than it seems on the surface. While Biden's favorability ratings remain underwater, some of the biggest pieces of his legislative agenda, from infrastructure to lowering the costs of some prescription drugs, are popular, and signaling any daylight with the president on foreign policy at a time of global crises could be seen as reckless. Harris herself has been loathe to do anything that could be perceived as disloyal to Biden, who elevated her from a first-term senator to the vice presidency, and then handed the reins of his political operation over to her, endorsing Harris when he dropped out of the race in July. She's brushed off questions about how she would be different than the Democratic president by saying: 'I'm not Joe Biden,' but has offered few specifics. At the same time, she's tried to seize the mantle of being the candidate who would bring positive change to the country, largely relying on being of a different generation than both Biden and Trump. Harris last week in an interview with radio host Howard Stern said she couldn't think of a move made by Biden that she would have decided differently ' a line that was featured prominently by Trump at rallies and online. She later offered that she would, unlike Biden, select a Republican for her Cabinet if elected. On Tuesday, Biden spoke in the hall of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association in Philadelphia, pumping up a slate of local candidates including Sen. Bob Casey before a vibrant crowd: boys in button-down shirts and kente cloths stood alongside women who leaned on canes. They sat at tables adorned with red, white and blue balloons and ate from plastic plates crowded with meatballs and kielbasa and bread rolls. "Every president has to cut their own path, that's what I did,' Biden said to a crowd that chanted 'Thank you, Joe!' 'I was loyal to Barack Obama, and I cut my own path as president. That's what Kamala is going to do.' Biden's words were particularly poignant because he's done so few political events since stepping away from the 2024 race, a stinging decision he said he made for the good of the country, following a disastrous debate performance and mutiny within the Democratic party. 'When I decided it was time to pass the torch to the next generation, I knew. I knew who I wanted to replace me,' Biden said. He also took multiple swipes at Trump, calling him a loser, laying into the Republican nominee for his refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election he lost, continued stoking of misinformation around the election and embracing the violent mob that sought to overturn the results of the election on Jan. 6, 2021. 'Every generation faces a moment where democracy has to be defended,' Biden said. 'This is our moment.' This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 12:52 PM IST | Philadelphia | APOn the final day of her state visit to Algeria, President Droupadi Murmu visited the ruins of ancient Roman city of Tipasa, the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, and Hamma Garden. These historical sites, situated in and around the coastal city of Tipasa, provided the President Murmu with a unique glimpse into Algeria's rich cultural and historical legacy. The President was accompanied by Algeria's Minister of Culture Soraya Mouloudji, and Tipaza Governor Aboubakr Boucetta. In a post on X, the official account of the President shared: "On the final day of her State visit to Algeria, President Droupadi Murmu glimpsed the rich cultural and historical heritage of Algeria at the archaeological site of the ancient Roman city of Tipasa. Dating back to 6th century BC, Tipasa served as thriving cultural and trading centre on the Mediterranean shores. She also visited the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, built during the Numidian era. The Minister of Culture of Algeria, H.E. Soraya Mouloudji and the Wali (Governor) of Tipaza, H.E. Aboubakr Boucetta, accompanied the President during the visits." On the final day of her State visit to Algeria, President Droupadi Murmu glimpsed the rich cultural and historical heritage of Algeria at the archaeological site of the ancient Roman city of Tipasa. Dating back to 6th century BC, Tipasa served as thriving cultural and trading… pic.twitter.com/4XgPcJzisc — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 15, 2024 This post emphasised the importance of cultural exchange during her trip and highlighted the historical significance of Algeria's landmarks. Earlier in the day, President Murmu was awarded an Honourary Doctorate in Political Science by the Sidi Abdellah Science and Technology Pole University, Algiers III. Speaking at the ceremony, she expressed her gratitude, stating, "It is, indeed a humbling experience for me to be honoured with the Honorary Doctorate. This is an honour for my country more than for me as an individual. It is always a pleasure to address young minds in the universities brimming with confidence dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge that directly impacts national development missions." Kamal Baddari, the Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, presented her with the doctorate. President Murmu's visit to Algeria is part of her larger three-nation tour of Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi, which aims to strengthen diplomatic, educational, and cultural ties between India and these nations. As her state visit draws to a close, President Murmu will be departing from Malawi on October 19 with renewed hopes for deeper engagement and collaboration between the four countries in the years to come. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 12:49 PM IST | Algeria | ANIIndia is not cooperating with Canada on the latter's investigation into the killing of a Sikh separatist last year, the United States alleged Tuesday. 'When it comes to the Canadian matter, we have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious and they need to be taken seriously. We wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path,' State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a day earlier alleged that officials of the Indian government were involved in the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June in Surrey. 'The RCMP has clear and compelling evidence that agents of the Government of India have engaged in, and continue to engage in, activities that pose a significant threat to public safety. This includes clandestine information gathering techniques, coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians, and involvement in over a dozen threatening and violent acts, including murder. This is unacceptable,' Trudeau alleged. Rejecting the allegations, India not only called back its High Commissioner from Canada but also expelled six of its diplomats from New Delhi. 'Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side. This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains,' the Ministry of External Affairs said. 'Prime Minister Trudeau's hostility to India has long been in evidence. In 2018, his visit to India, which was aimed at currying favour with a vote bank, rebounded to his discomfort. His Cabinet has included individuals who have openly associated with an extremist and separatist agenda regarding India. His naked interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard,' it said. 'That his government was dependent on a political party, whose leader openly espouses a separatist ideology vis-à-vis India, only aggravated matters. Under criticism for turning a blind eye to foreign interference in Canadian politics, his government has deliberately brought in India in an attempt to mitigate the damage. This latest development targeting Indian diplomats is now the next step in that direction. It is no coincidence that it takes place as Prime Minister Trudeau is to depose before a Commission on foreign interference. It also serves the anti-India separatist agenda that the Trudeau government has constantly pandered to for narrow political gains,' the Minister of External Affairs said. India said the Trudeau government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists to harass, threaten and intimidate the Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada. 'This has included death threats to them and to Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech. Some individuals who have entered Canada illegally have been fast-tracked for citizenship. Multiple extradition requests from the Government of India in respect of terrorists and organized crime leaders living in Canada have been disregarded,' it said. The United States refrained from commenting on the India-Canada diplomatic row. 'I don't have any comment on that. But as we've said before, they're serious allegations. And we have wanted to see India take them seriously -- seriously and cooperate with Canada's investigation. They have chosen an alternate path,' Miller said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 12:47 PM IST | Washington | PTIThe Biden administration believes it has won assurances from Israel that it will not hit Iranian nuclear or oil sites as it looks to strike back following Iran's missile barrage earlier this month, two US officials said Tuesday. The administration also believes that sending a US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence battery to Israel and roughly 100 soldiers to operate it has eased some of Israel's concerns about possible Iranian retaliation and general security issues. The Pentagon on Sunday announced the THAAD deployment to help bolster Israel's air defences following Iran's ballistic missile attacks on Israel in April and October, saying it was authorized at the direction of President Joe Biden. However, the US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic discussions, cautioned that Israel's assurances are not ironclad and that circumstances could change. The officials also noted that Israel's track record on fulfilling pledges in the past is mixed and has often reflected domestic Israeli politics that have upended Washington's expectations. The most recent example of that was last month, when US officials were told by their Israeli counterparts that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would welcome a US- and French-led temporary cease-fire initiative in Lebanon only to see Israel launch a massive airstrike that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah two days later. Netanyahu's office said in a statement that 'we listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interests'. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned their Israeli counterparts in a letter dated Sunday that it must increase the amount of humanitarian aid being allowed into Gaza within the next 30 days or Israel could risk losing access to US weapons funding. The Middle East has been bracing for an expected response from Israel after Iran launched roughly 180 ballistic missiles on Oct 1, which the United States helped to fend off. The tit-for-tat strikes and uncertainty about whether Israel might strike strategically important energy and nuclear sites in Iran have raised fears about escalation into an all-out regional war. Israel's offensive against Iranian-backed Hamas militants in Gaza has expanded into a ground invasion of Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy that has been firing into Israel since the conflict in Gaza started a year ago in solidarity with Hamas. Biden has said he would not support a retaliatory Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran's nuclear programme and urged Israel to consider alternatives to hitting Iran's oil sector. Such a strike could affect the global oil market and boost pump prices just ahead of the US presidential election. Biden and Netanyahu spoke by phone last week for the first time in seven weeks, while Defense Secretary Austin has been speaking regularly with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant. The Pentagon said in a readout of a call from Sunday that Austin reaffirmed US support for Israel's security but urged it to ensure protections for UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, shift from military operations to a diplomatic solution and 'raised concern for the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and stressed that steps must be taken soon to address it'. The White House National Security Council declined to confirm that Netanyahu offered Biden any assurances about targets. 'Our commitment to Israel's defense is ironclad,' the White House National Security Council said in a statement. 'We will not discuss private diplomatic discussions and would refer you to the Israeli government to speak to their own potential military operations.' This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 12:43 PM IST | Washington | APChina announced plans to launch a manned lunar mission, construct a lunar space station and explore habitable planets and extra-terrestrial life to expand its space programme. The national mid- and long-term development programme for space science will guide the country’s planning of space science missions and space research from 2024 to 2050. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 08:56 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesTo ensure the safety and security of the 23rd SCO summit in Islamabad on Wednesday, the Pakistan Army has been deployed to safeguard the event, key government buildings, and the Red Zone area. The government has deployed over 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel for the security of about 900 delegates who are set to arrive for the event. The delegates will stay at different places in the capital located inside the ‘Red Zone’ or in the vicinity, as 14 locations in the capital have been arranged for their accommodation, Dawn reported. A motorcade of 124 vehicles has been arranged for transportation of guests. Of these, 84 vehicles will escort the heads of states, while 40 will cater to other delegates. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 08:55 AM IST | Islamabad | AgenciesIsraeli strikes in the southern Gaza Strip killed at least 15 people overnight, including six children and two women, Palestinian medical officials said on Tuesday. A strike early Tuesday hit a house in the southern town of Beni Suhaila, killing at least 10 people from one extended family, according to Nasser Hospital in nearby Khan Younis. The dead include three children and one woman, according to hospital records. An Associated Press camera operator at the hospital counted the bodies. In the nearby town of Fakhari, a strike hit a house early Tuesday, killing five people, including three children and a woman, according to the European Hospital, where the casualties were taken. Top leaders attend funeral in Tehran The funeral of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general killed alongside Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah drew the largest crowd of top leaders in the paramilitary organisation for the first time since Tehran fired a ballistic missile at Israel. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 08:53 AM IST | Deir al-Balah | AgenciesIn a symbolic display of anger, North Korea on Tuesday blew up the northern section of unused roads that once linked it with the South, with the rivals exchanging threats days after the North claimed that its rival flew drones over its capital Pyongyang. The roads’ choreographed demolition underlines North Korea’s growing anger against South Korea’s conservative government. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to sever relations with South Korea and abandon the goal of achieving peaceful Korean unification. Observers say it’s unlikely Kim will launch a preemptive, large-scale attack on South Korea because of fear that an almost certain massive retaliation by the more superior forces of the US and South Korea. In response to the explosions, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military fired within southern sections of the border as it bolstered its readiness and surveillance posture. The statement did not give details, but the move could have been an attempt to avert cross-border fire by North Korea. It wasn’t immediately known whether North Korea responded. South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles affairs with North Korea, separately condemned the North’s detonations as a “highly abnormal” and “regressive” measure that violates previous inter-Korean agreements. Video provided by South Korea’s military showed a cloud of white and gray smoke emerging from the explosion at a road near the western border town of Kaesong. North Korean trucks and excavators could be seen clearing out debris. Another video showed smoke emerging from a coastal road near the eastern border. Destroying the roads, which were mainly built with South Korean money, is in line with Kim’s order in January to abandon the goal of peaceful Korean unification. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 October,2024 08:51 AM IST | Seoul | AgenciesIndia remains actively engaged in various mechanisms of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), New Delhi said on Tuesday, hours before External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lands in Pakistan to attend a conclave of the influential regional grouping. It will be the first visit by an Indian foreign minister in nearly a decade that comes amid continuing chill in India-Pakistan relations. Pakistan is hosting the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit meeting on October 15 and 16. “The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organisation," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting. India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework," it said in a brief statement in New Delhi. Shortly after he arrives in Islamabad, Jaishankar is likely to attend a banquet reception to be hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to welcome the delegates from the SCO member nations, people familiar with the matter said. Both India and Pakistan have already ruled out any bilateral talks between Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the SCO heads of the government summit. However, they are set to exchange pleasantries. It will be for the first time in nearly nine years India's foreign minister is traveling to Pakistan even as the ties between the two neighbours remained frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. The last Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan. Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan assumes significance as it is seen as a significant decision on New Delhi's part. In his recent address at an event, Jaishankar said “like with any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan.” "But that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking." The decision to send the senior minister is seen as a display of India's commitment to the SCO. The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India's warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack. The relations further deteriorated after India on August 5, 2019 announced the withdrawal of special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India after New Delhi abrogated Article 370. India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement. Pakistan's then foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India in May 2023 to attend an in-person meeting of the foreign ministers of SCO nations in Goa. It was the first visit of a Pakistani foreign minister to India in almost 12 years. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 October,2024 03:49 PM IST | Islamabad | PTICanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday accused the Indian government of making a "fundamental error" by supporting criminal activities in Canada. Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa, Trudeau highlighted ongoing tensions between the two nations and stressed the importance of an upcoming meeting between their national security advisors, scheduled for this weekend in Singapore. "When I spoke to PM Modi at the end of last week, I highlighted how incredibly important meeting between our national security advisors in Singapore this weekend was going to be. He was aware of that meeting and I pressed upon him that the meeting needs to be taken very, very seriously," Trudeau said. Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly were also present during the press conference. Trudeau further spoke about the broader implications for Canada-India relations, alleging that the Indian government had made a "fundamental error" by supporting criminal activities against Canadians. "The Indian government made a fundamental error in thinking that they could engage in supporting criminal activities against Canadians, here on Canadian soil, be it murder or extortion. This is absolutely unacceptable," Trudeau claimed. Trudeau claimed that Canada is commitment to working with India despite the tensions. "This is not a choice that Canada made to create a chill in Canada-India relations. India is an important democracy, a country with which we have deep historical people-to-people business ties at a time where the instability around geopolitics means democracies have to stick together. That is why when we started to understand through intelligence agencies that India was possibly if not probably, behind (Hardeep Singh) Nijjar's killing, the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil last summer, our first choice to the government of India to say, we know this has happened, work with us to fix this," he claimed. "We don't want to be having this fight, but obviously the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil is not something that we can ignore as a country," he added. Trudeau further said that Canada had taken a transparent approach and sought cooperation with Indian authorities. "So every step of the way we have apprised India of what we know. I've spoken directly with Prime Minister Modi. We have engaged with intelligence counterparts, and unfortunately, every step of the way, both after I made the statement in the House of Commons last September and till now, the response of the Indian government has been to deny, to obfuscate, to attack me personally and the integrity of the government of Canada and its officials and its police agencies," he said. He further claimed that Canada had made efforts to collaborate with India to ensure the safety of Canadians. Trudeau further said Canadian authorities had attempted to work with India to ensure the safety of Canadians. "We have simply said we're going to allow our agencies to do the work, particularly to move from intelligence collection from agencies to police investigations that result in arrests, trials and consequences within a rigorous robust and independent judicial system. That has been our approach every step of the way. Indeed, over this past week, when the RCMP reached out to its law enforcement counterparts in India, there was a path where we could have worked together to ensure accountability and changes and steps that would have resulted in keeping Canadians safe because that is our top priority," he said. However, Trudeau said these efforts were rebuffed by India. "The Indian government rejected those advances and rejected our attempts to find some way through this. And that brought us to this point of having to disrupt the chain of operations that go from Indian diplomats here in Canada to criminal organisations to direct violent impacts on Canadians right across this country," he added. The diplomatic fallout comes after allegations by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme, who claimed they have information on certain criminal activity carried out by agents of the Indian government. India on Monday expelled six Canadian diplomats hours after it summoned Canada's Charge d'Affaires Stewart Wheeler and conveyed that the "baseless targeting" of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable. This move came reportedly after Canada expelled six Indian diplomats after police collected evidence they were part of an Indian government "campaign of violence," news agency Reuters reported citing a Canadian government source earlier. Earlier, on Monday India "strongly" rejected a diplomatic communication from Canada suggesting that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats were "persons of interest" in an investigation and termed it as "preposterous imputations" and part of the political agenda of the Justin Trudeau government. In a hard-hitting statement, India said Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's hostility to India has long been in evidence and his government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists "to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada." The ties between India and Canada soured after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a parliamentary address last year, claimed that he has "credible allegations" of India's hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, designated a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey in June 2023. India strongly denied the allegations, calling them "absurd" and "motivated." It also accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 October,2024 10:32 AM IST | Ottawa | ANIADVERTISEMENT
