Canada accuses India, Pakistan of interfering in polls, India rejects claim
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New Delhi: India has ‘unequivocally’ rejected Canadian spy agency’s charge that India meddled with the country’s elections, NDTV reported.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in an unclassified summary released on potential foreign influence in the country’s elections alleged clandestine activities by both India and Pakistan during the 2019 and 2021 general elections.
CSIS summary alleges ‘concerted efforts’ by India in 2021 targeting specific electoral districts with Indian-origin voters sympathetic to the Khalistani movement or pro-Pakistan stances.
The summary alleged that a government proxy agent may have used illicit financial support for favoured candidates to sway democratic process while still remaining ‘undisclosed to the recipients’, according to the report.
The summary further claimed that officials from Pakistani government in 2019 engaged in ‘clandestine activities’ in order to advance the country’s interest in Canada.
Even though India denied of having ever interfered in other nation’s democratic process, Canada’s inquiry reportedly ‘escalated tensions’ between both countries.
Canada announced its plans to probe foreign interference in its national elections focusing on India in January.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to it in February saying ‘We strongly reject all such baseless allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections.’
Randhir Jaiswal added that it is not India’s policy to ‘ interfere in the democratic process of other countries’, adding Jaiswal alleged that ‘it is Canada which has been interfering in our internal affairs.’
Prime Minister Justine Trudeau initiated the probe last year following reports suggesting China may have attempted to influence the country’s elections by supporting candidates ‘sympathetic’ to Chinese government.
India Canada relations have worsened after Trudeau accused India of having involved in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.