S Jaishankar calls out Canada’s hypocrisy in dealing with foreign diplomats

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday called out Canada’s hypocrisy, saying the licence that the Western nation gives its diplomats and the way it treats diplomats of other countries on its soil is totally different.
Jaishankar spoke about the ongoing row with Canada after Ottawa demanded India to remove the diplomatic cover of its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, who was named a ‘person of interest’ in the murder probe of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canada’s move escalated the row, resulting in both sides expelling diplomats.
The Minister highlighted Canada’s double standards when it comes to collecting information in foreign countries and restricting such activities on its soil by diplomats of foreign nations.
“They (Canada) seem to have a problem if Indian diplomats are even trying to make efforts to find out what is happening in Canada on matters which directly pertain to their welfare and security. But look what happens in India. Canadian diplomats have no problem going around collecting information on our military, police, profiling people, targeting people to be stopped in Canada. So apparently, the licence that they give themselves is totally different from the kind of restrictions that they impose on diplomats in Canada,” Jaishankar said at the NDTV World Summit.
Jaishankar also accused Canada of hiding behind “freedom of speech” when anti-India elements threaten Indian leaders and diplomats on its soil.
“When we tell them you have people openly threatening leaders of India, diplomats of India, their answer is freedom of speech. When Indian journalists make social media comments, if you threaten the Indian High Commissioner, he is supposed to accept it as freedom of speech. But if an Indian journalist says the Canadian High Commissioner walked out of South Block looking very grumpy, it is apparently foreign interference,” he said.
Jaishankar was reacting to the Canadian government accusing several Indian media outlets of foreign interference and trying “information manipulation”. Among the foreign media interference cited by a Canadian commission is India Today’s 5Live news analysis program, hosted by Senior Executive Editor Shiv Aroor, which aired on September 13.
“There is this thing that we will do it differently at home. We will do it differently abroad. We will do it our way, but that doesn’t apply to you. I think these are the larger adjustments which have to happen in this changing world,” Jaishankar said.
Canada alleged that agents of the Indian government were involved in activities targeting South Asian Canadians, especially members of the pro-Khalistan movement.
Outgoing Indian envoy Sanjay Kumar Verma, in an interview with a private broadcaster in Canada, also highlighted Western hypocrisy when it comes to foreign diplomatic missions.
Sanjay Verma said he and his colleagues were monitoring pro-Khalistan and anti-India elements in Canada, but not using any covert means.
“If the Canadian politicians are so novice that they want me not to know what my enemies are doing here, then I’m sorry, they don’t know what international relations is all about,” Verma said.