Canadian MP Jagmeet Singh waded into controversy on Wednesday after calling for sanctions against Indian diplomats and a ban on the RSS. The remarks — coming amidst an escalating diplomatic row — had spurred a flurry of questions and jibes from reporters as the politician beat a hasty retreat from the press conference.
“We demand that the Liberal government implement severe sanctions on Indian diplomats and banish the RSS, a violent, militant, terrorist organization from India, which is a group that operates here in Canada and in other countries as well,” he insisted during a press conference on Wednesday.
The former Trudeau ally cited the RCMP as saying that Indian diplomats were “hiring criminal elements to shoot at Canadians” as he reiterated his call for sanctions. He also called for all Canadian leaders to unitedly “denounce” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold the Indian government “accountable”.
The remarks had prompted a flurry of questions from reporters as Singh walked out of the presser. Some wondered if he was being targetted while others
Are you being targeted
A day after Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alleged that some Indian diplomats were involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist, Canadian Sikh leader Jagmeet Singh on Tuesday demanded a ban on the RSS and sanctions against the Indian diplomats.
Singh is the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) that had in past supported the ruling government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
India has denied the allegations and said that Canada is harbouring terrorist groups and promoting separatist activities.
The NDP leader, who is known for his pro-Khalistan stance, at a news conference in Ottawa requested an emergency meeting with the Public Security Committee to better understand if there are other steps they can take to protect the Canadians.
“We demand that the Liberal government implement severe sanctions on Indian diplomats and banish the RSS, a violent, militant, terrorist organization from India, which is a group that operates here in Canada and in other countries as well,” Singh said, a day after he was briefed by the Canadian government on its side of the allegations against India.
“The briefing confirmed what was shared publicly, that this is a very serious allegation. It confirmed some of the background of how we got here. Really what it highlighted is that we’ve got the Indian government, specifically the Modi government, that is engaged through diplomats in Canada, criminal elements that have then gone on to shoot at Canadian homes, to shoot at Canadian businesses, to kill Canadians. That is very serious,” he alleged.
“As the RCMP mentioned, the briefing also mentioned, that there are deep concerns for Canadian safety, and that’s why I really believe it is our responsibility, if we believe in protecting our country, I love this country, we need to do everything possible to keep people safe and to keep our democracy safe,” he said.
“That’s why I’m committed to the actions that I’ve laid out, additional steps to see what we can do to keep Canadians safe by having an emergency meeting of the Public Safety Committee as well as making sure that we take steps to ban this extremist organization, the RSS, that comes from India, as well as making sure that we impose these severe sanctions on Indian diplomats,” he said.
“Are you being targeted?” he was asked.
“It’s not about me. This is about the fact that Canadians are at serious threat and serious risk. What the RCMP described is something that should be really troubling. When these acts of violence happen, if someone’s shooting, if an organized member of crime is being hired or being engaged by a diplomat, which just sounds incredibly disturbing. If that’s happening, that threatens everyone that lives in that community, everyone that lives in that neighbourhood. When businesses are being shot at, anyone that lives nearby, anyone that’s walking nearby, this is a threat to all Canadians. And it should be taken with the utmost seriousness,” he said.
Singh said “we need to work with our allies to put pressure on India”.
“We need to work with the United States. There’s similar scenarios that have played out in the United Kingdom. So, it’s clear that we need to work with our allies to put pressure on India. But there’s got to be accountability. The Indian government has to be held to account. The Modi government has to be held to account. We all need to be unified as Canadian leaders. All of us have to be united in denouncing Modi and making sure we protect Canadians and put their safety first and foremost,” he said.
