Achi news desk-
India rejected the allegations and assured its commitment to non-interference.
New Delhi:
Canada has accused India and Pakistan of meddling in its elections – a charge India has unequivocally denied. Canada’s spy agency released an unclassified summary submitted as part of a federal investigation examining possible foreign interference, alleging covert activities by India and Pakistan during the 2019 and 2021 general elections. India has called the probe ‘baseless’ and said that Canada has been interfering in their internal affairs.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) summary refers to joint efforts by India and Pakistan to influence Canadian electoral processes. India, however, vehemently denies these allegations, dismissing them as baseless and redirecting the focus to what it sees as Canadian interference in its internal affairs.
The CSIS documents allege that in 2021 the Indian government targeted specific electoral districts believed to host voters of Indian origin sympathetic to the Khalistani movement or pro-Pakistani views. The agency alleged that a proxy government agent may have tried to influence democratic processes through illegal financial aid to favored candidates, potentially remaining undisclosed to the recipients.
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Likewise, in 2019, Pakistani government officials allegedly engaged in covert activities aimed at promoting Pakistan’s interests in the Canadian political landscape.
While India has refuted the allegations and assured its commitment not to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries, Canada’s investigation into foreign interference has increased tensions in already strained relations between the two countries.
Foreign Undertaking Payments
In January, Canada announced its intention to investigate allegations of foreign interference in its national elections, with a particular focus on India, according to a Bloomberg report.
“We have seen media reports about a Canadian commission investigating…We strongly reject all baseless allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in February.
“It is not the policy of the Indian government to interfere in the democratic processes of other countries. In fact, on the contrary, it is Canada that has been interfering in our internal affairs,” he added.
The decision to launch a public inquiry came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initiated the process last year in response to leaked intelligence reports suggesting China tried to influence Canadian elections by backing regime-sympathetic candidates. President Xi Jinping.
The appointed commissioner for the inquiry ordered the investigation into possible interference by various actors, including India, China, Russia, and other governmental and non-governmental entities during the 2019 and 2021 election cycles.
India-Canada relations
Mr Trudeau’s previous claims of Indians killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil have become a flashpoint in bilateral relations between the two countries.
Despite the fact that India dismissed these claims as absurd, the fallout led to diplomatic repercussions, including the suspension of visas for Canadians and a reduction in diplomatic presence.
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In February, the designation of India as a “foreign threat” by Canadian intelligence, alongside China and Russia, deepened the diplomatic rift.
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