BANFF — India’s former top diplomat to Canada is asking the Trudeau government to take steps to deescalate a growing dispute with the world’s most populous nation and allow a public inquiry into explosive allegations of the murder of a Sikh nationalist..Speaking at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Vikas Swarup — who is also known as the author of the bestselling novel Slumdog Millionaire — reminded the Canadian government “everyone is innocent until proven guilty” and to allow “the rule of law to take its course.”.Because that’s what democracies do, he said..“I think Canada should look at the larger picture,” he said. “You don’t want to import the passions of the subcontinent into your own body politic because eventually they will infect you and you will be the loser.”.“So I would say Canada, please take a step back. Reflect carefully. There was no need for us to go public focus. This could easily have been solved at the diplomatic level by continuously engaging engagement between the two governments, but the bomb has exploded. We have to pick up the pieces and move on.”.Swarup said too much depends on it, economically, politically and in terms of counteracting Chinese influence in Canada’s democracy..“Canada cannot develop its relationship with India and China at the same time,” he said..Swarup stressed he isn’t against the presence of a Sikh separatist movement in Canada, even India has one..But he said it’s Canada’s responsibility to draw the line when it crosses into terrorism..“Since the time I was high commissioner here, much before that, they had been giving dossiers after dossiers to Canada, on the increasing activity or what we call Khalistan. I have no problem with the existence of Khalistan movement. It exists in Australia. It exists in US. It exists in Germany. My problem is when that movement turns towards incitement to violence, which that is trying to go to a civil colostomy lab.”.In prepared remarks, Swarup commented at length on geopolitics and how there are no ‘friends or enemies’ but rather, “mutual interests” and that Canada’s mutual interests with India are too great to ignore, as evidenced by shabby treatment from successive administrations in the US..“Eventually, I think Donald Trump was the reality check for Canada, because they thought this relationship with the US is equal to the oceans and higher than in the mountains, which will continue forever. And Trump comes and says ‘too bad, that's not how it works’,” he said. .“So I think it is important for Canada to diversify markets and India cannot be a better partner for Canada in Asia. As I said, we are filled with democracies, we just kept the rule of law. So that's why I completely reject the allegation that the media (has made) and let the truth come out in a public inquiry.”.When asked how he would advise the Indian government if he was still ambassador, he said much the same way, to de-escalate the situation after it restricted visas to Canadian citizens..“The first thing I would say is get rid of this visa. Open up the visa centres. We cannot stop people-to-people contact because you know one size does not fit all. Let them do what they need to do. And they are the bridge builders between the two countries. So this is my advice.”
BANFF — India’s former top diplomat to Canada is asking the Trudeau government to take steps to deescalate a growing dispute with the world’s most populous nation and allow a public inquiry into explosive allegations of the murder of a Sikh nationalist..Speaking at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Vikas Swarup — who is also known as the author of the bestselling novel Slumdog Millionaire — reminded the Canadian government “everyone is innocent until proven guilty” and to allow “the rule of law to take its course.”.Because that’s what democracies do, he said..“I think Canada should look at the larger picture,” he said. “You don’t want to import the passions of the subcontinent into your own body politic because eventually they will infect you and you will be the loser.”.“So I would say Canada, please take a step back. Reflect carefully. There was no need for us to go public focus. This could easily have been solved at the diplomatic level by continuously engaging engagement between the two governments, but the bomb has exploded. We have to pick up the pieces and move on.”.Swarup said too much depends on it, economically, politically and in terms of counteracting Chinese influence in Canada’s democracy..“Canada cannot develop its relationship with India and China at the same time,” he said..Swarup stressed he isn’t against the presence of a Sikh separatist movement in Canada, even India has one..But he said it’s Canada’s responsibility to draw the line when it crosses into terrorism..“Since the time I was high commissioner here, much before that, they had been giving dossiers after dossiers to Canada, on the increasing activity or what we call Khalistan. I have no problem with the existence of Khalistan movement. It exists in Australia. It exists in US. It exists in Germany. My problem is when that movement turns towards incitement to violence, which that is trying to go to a civil colostomy lab.”.In prepared remarks, Swarup commented at length on geopolitics and how there are no ‘friends or enemies’ but rather, “mutual interests” and that Canada’s mutual interests with India are too great to ignore, as evidenced by shabby treatment from successive administrations in the US..“Eventually, I think Donald Trump was the reality check for Canada, because they thought this relationship with the US is equal to the oceans and higher than in the mountains, which will continue forever. And Trump comes and says ‘too bad, that's not how it works’,” he said. .“So I think it is important for Canada to diversify markets and India cannot be a better partner for Canada in Asia. As I said, we are filled with democracies, we just kept the rule of law. So that's why I completely reject the allegation that the media (has made) and let the truth come out in a public inquiry.”.When asked how he would advise the Indian government if he was still ambassador, he said much the same way, to de-escalate the situation after it restricted visas to Canadian citizens..“The first thing I would say is get rid of this visa. Open up the visa centres. We cannot stop people-to-people contact because you know one size does not fit all. Let them do what they need to do. And they are the bridge builders between the two countries. So this is my advice.”
