India on Tuesday night strongly rejected “insinuations” made against it in a report by a Canadian commission that investigated allegations of foreign meddling in the elections held in the North American country. It is in fact Canada which has been “consistently interfering” in India’s internal affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
“We have seen a report about alleged activities on purported interference. It is in fact Canada which has been consistently interfering in India’s internal affairs,” the MEA said.
“This has also created an environment for illegal migration and organised criminal activities,” it said in a statement.
“We reject the report’s insinuations on India and expect that the support system enabling illegal migration will not be further countenanced,” it added.
Earlier the Canadian government in a report claimed that China and India tried to interfere in Canada’s elections.
The report claimed that while China was the “most persistent and sophisticated foreign interference threat to Canada,” India has become the “second most active country engaging in electoral foreign interference in Canada,” according to the CTV news.
New Delhi was suspected of using proxy agents to provide “clandestine financial support” to candidates from three political parties in a federal election, Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reported.
“Like the PRC (People’s Republic of China), India conducts foreign interference through diplomatic officials in Canada and through proxies,” Justice Marie-JosÃe Hogue, who is the head of the commission of inquiry, wrote. “A body of intelligence indicates that proxy agents may have, and may continue to be, clandestinely providing illicit financial support to various Canadian politicians in an attempt to secure the election of pro-India candidates or gain influence over candidates who take office.”
The commission was set up by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September, 2023, with Justice Marie-JosÃe Hogue as its head.