India rejects Canada’s ‘poll interference’ claim, rebuts ‘Ottawa meddling in country’s internal affairs’

 

Rejecting Canada’s allegations of Indian interference in the country’s elections as “baseless,” New Delhi on Thursday said it is not India’s policy to interfere in the democratic process of other countries.

Targeting Ottawa, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing a press briefing, asserted that “on the reverse side, it was Canada which has been interfering in India’s internal affairs.”

We have seen media reports of Canadian Commission inquiring into foreign interferences… we strongly reject such baseless allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections. It is not the Government of India’s policy to interfere in the democratic process of other countries, in fact, quite on the reverse, it is Canada which has been interfering in our internal affairs,” he said.

India's ties with Canada may have undergone a tonal shift in recent days says Justin Trudeau.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in its report has alleged that China sought to “clandestinely and deceptively influence” its last two federal elections, whilst also naming India as a foreign interference threat. This top-secret briefing report obtained by Global News also stated that the Canadian government “must do more” to fight foreign interference.

The Foreign Interference activities of the People’s Republic of China are significant, pervasive, and directed against all levels of government and civil society across the country,” the report stated. 

On the “foreign interference of India”, the report predicted that the problem could worsen and “we must do more to protect Canada’s robust democratic institutions and processes.” 

India was the only country mentioned in the report aside from China. Although three pages of the report were devoted to India, they were entirely redacted later to just say a single sentence: “India engages in FI activities.

Contributed by:

Sohan Dey

Sohan is a second semester student studying Political Science (Hons.) at Maynaguri College.

Source: The Indian Express

Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-rejects-canada-poll-interference-claim-9151133/