New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his delegation on Tuesday departed from Delhi after a technical snag with their aircraft was resolved. The aircraft had developed a snag just before the departure on Sunday, causing delays in his return to Canada. Trudeau was the last leader to have left after the G20 Summit concluded.
Earlier, the Canada PMO in a statement said that the technical issue with the Airbus plane has been resolved. "The plane has been cleared to fly, and the Canadian delegation is expected to depart this afternoon," it had said.
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau arrived in New Delhi on September 8 for the G20 summit and he was supposed to fly back on September 10, however, was delayed after his aircraft developed a technical snag which led him to overstay in India.
Meanwhile, the Secessionist groups Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organized the Khalistan referendum at a Gurdwara in British Columbia, Canada on Sunday. The voting occurred at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, the very gurdwara that was previously led by Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the prominent figure of SFJ in the province.
The development comes just after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of Khalistani extremism with Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed strong concerns about the continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.
"They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship. The nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates, and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats," PM Modi noted.
He also mentioned that a relationship based on mutual respect and trust is essential for the progress of the India-Canada relationship. Notably, India has time and again raised concerns with the Canadian authority regarding the use of Canadian territory for separatist activities but it seems very unlikely that any immediate actions will be taken in response to the concern, however, the Ministry of External Affairs has not reacted or have given any statement pertaining to the development.
