“Crucial we act together to defend country’s international image”: Jairam Ramesh on Canada PM’s allegations against India

New Delhi [India], October 17 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh has asked the Centre to “act together” with the opposition to defend India’s international image amid the allegations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “safeguarding India’s global standing is a shared responsibility.”

“Our nation’s international image as a country that believes in and adheres to rule of law is at risk, and it is crucial that we act together to defend it. On matters relating to national security and foreign policy, the nation must always be one,” said Ramesh in a post on X on Wednesday.

“Allegations made by Canada, now backed by several other countries, are threatening to escalate, tarnishing India’s global reputation and damaging Brand India,” he added.

He further said that Congress has already asked PM Modi to take Opposition leaders and other political leaders into confidence and discuss the “serious charges” against India.

“The Indian National Congress has already asked the Prime Minister to take the Leaders of Opposition in both Houses of Parliament, and other political leaders, into confidence on the serious charges leveled against the government of India by USA and Canada,” the post added.

Earlier in another post he said, “The Indian National Congress certainly hopes and expects that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take into confidence the Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament and the leaders of other political parties on this extremely sensitive and critical issue of India-Canada relations.”

The ties between India and Canada soured after Trudeau alleged in the Canadian Parliament last year that he has “credible allegations” of India’s hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India has denied all the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated” and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country.

Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.

Meanwhile, Canadian PM Trudeau on Wednesday admitted that his government had not provided India with hard evidence but just intelligence regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.

In response to Trudeau’s statement, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in an official statement, “What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along – Canada has presented us no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats.”

“The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone,” Jaiswal added.