India on Thursday hoped Canada would take action against extremists, terrorists and anti-India elements who have been misusing the freedom of speech and expression in that country.
”I don’t know if they have noted any change in our position…our position has remained consistent,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing when asked for reaction to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s remarks that India-Canada relations have undergone ‘a tonal shift’ since the US accused an Indian government employee of asking an individual to hire an assassin to kill ‘Khalistan’ backer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The spokesperson said the core issue remained the space being provided to anti-India elements in Canada.
On the US allegation of a plot by Indian nationals to kill Pannun, the spokesperson said New Delhi was taking the issue very seriously and a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted.
The spokesperson said India has got consular access to Nikhil Gupta, who is accused by the US authorities of plotting to kill Pannun and was currently lodged in a jail in Czech Republic. He noted that Gupta’s family has gone to the Supreme Court in India.
”We are providing necessary consular access as per the requirement…it’s not fair to comment more on the issue since it’s sub judice,” he added.