77th anniversary of Poonch link-up with India celebrated
The 77th link-up anniversary of Poonch with the rest of India was on Friday celebrated by the Army and civilian population of the border region.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations against India of role in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar have triggered a massive diplomatic row between the Ottawa and New Delhi. India has vehemently rejected Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd and politically driven”, even as Canada took up the issue with its NATO allies the US and the UK.
While both the US and the UK have termed Trudeau’s allegations “serious” and sought impartial investigation, none have come out in support of Canada. While the US has said that it will stand up and defend its basic principles in this matter, experts believe America will actually choose India over Canada if it has to.
Speaking about the diplomatic row between India and Canada, former Pentagon official Michael Rubin said that Trudea made huge mistake by leveling allegations against India without providing evidence.
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“Either he was shooting from the hip and he doesn’t have the evidence to support the accusations he made against the government. There is something there, in which case he needs to explain why this government was sheltering a terrorist,” the former Pentagon official was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India in 2020, was gunned down by two masked men in the parking lot of a Grudwara in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.
Rubin said the United States doesn’t want to be in situation where it has to choose between two friends. However, the country will choose India over Canada if it will have to pick between the two warring nations.
“I suspect that the United States doesn’t want to be painted a corner to choose between two friends. But if we have to choose between two friends, increasingly we’re going to choose India on this matter, simply because Nijjar was a terrorist, and India is too important,” Rubin said.
The former Pentagon official said that Trudeau’s ratings have been down and he may not last long in Canadian premiership. “…we can rebuild the relationship after he’s gone,” he added.
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