Canada allowing space to separatist elements shows its vote bank is more powerful than rule of law: S Jaishankar

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PTI on Thursday, Jaishankar said that the Canadian government, by allowing political space to Khalistani separatist elements, is sending a message that its vote bank is "more powerful" than its rule of law. "We cannot, for the good relations, overlook that," said the minister.

Also Read: India-Canada ties: Decade-old issues resurfaced with crimes originating abroad, says envoy amid Nijjar killing row "If you have people whose presence there is itself on very dubious documents, what does it say about you? It actually says that your vote bank is more powerful than your rule of law," the minister told PTI. "In any rules-based society, you would imagine that you would check people's background, how they came, what passport they carried, etc," said the minister, wondering how people with dubious backgrounds are being allowed to enter and live in Canada. The external affairs minister also said that Canada's response to India's concerns was that it had freedom of speech.

Also Read: Canada 'should not allow intimidation by radical elements': India on float in Malton "Whenever we have taken this up with the Canadians..it is not a new issue... It has been going on almost for 10 years, and they keep saying, 'Oh, we have freedom of speech'." Emphasising that India also has freedom of speech, the minister added, “Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to threaten foreign diplomats.