By Gautam Chaudhary
A review of the G20 Summit 2023 held under India’s chairmanship was underway when the two major world leaders made statements attempting to cast it in a negative light. These two leaders are United States President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. After the G20 Summit, Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the assassination of Khalistan supporter extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. On the other hand, President Biden, during a press conference in Vietnam following the G20 Summit, mentioned that he raised issues of “respect for human rights” and “press freedom” with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting. India has categorically rejected both leaders’ statements.
The current Indian government has shown a proactive approach in safeguarding national interests, which has been rarely seen in the past. While former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assertive in some cases, her assertiveness was often tempered due to Western pressures. However, the government led by Narendra Modi is extremely sensitive to its national interests and is not willing to let any opportunity slip where national interests are at stake.
The United States and the Western bloc have harbored some preconceived notions for a long time. These preconceived notions have often led the Western bloc to shift its focus between being against Russia and China. The current situation has changed, with China adopting an assertive stance on its own terms. In this scenario, Russia, India, Brazil, and South Africa are part of the BRICS group, which has reshaped the direction of trade, finance, science, technology, and diplomacy. Moreover, China’s establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has posed a challenge to the U.S.-led NATO. Consequently, the entire Western bloc is in a state of flux.
The American President is talking about press freedom and human rights violations in India. Moreover, Biden’s ministers and the media are actively participating in a media war against India. If the United States genuinely supports human rights, why is it failing to address crimes against Black people in its own country? This raises questions. Official figures indicate that the United States has committed as many crimes in the world as no other country. The champion of human rights has maintained a mysterious silence over the crimes committed by its ally nations. The United States accused Iraq and Libya of possessing biological and chemical weapons without evidence and launched attacks that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians. They dropped atomic bombs on two major cities in Japan, causing physical and psychological disabilities to generations. Biden, during his official trip to Vietnam after the G20 Summit, made a devastating impact on innocent civilians there as well. It is ironic that America is now preaching India on human rights and press freedom.
Justin Trudeau has attempted to blame India for the security weaknesses in his own country. In British Columbia, Canada, Sikh leader and Khalistan supporter Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered earlier this year. Trudeau’s condemnation is coming to light during the G20 Summit. Before this, he had neither received any secret intelligence nor any information. Trudeau’s ineffectiveness in ensuring the security of people living in Canada is evident, and now he is trying to deflect blame onto India. Furthermore, for many years, Trudeau and his associates have been indirectly supporting the Khalistan movement. If Trudeau is so concerned about Khalistan, he should consider granting it independence and making it a recognized sovereign nation. This would make India the first country in the world to recognize Khalistan.
Trudeau is neither concerned about the safety of his own country’s citizens nor about global peace. He is playing with fire, which ultimately will only bring trouble for him. India is committed to protecting its sovereignty and its people. Every nation has the right to protect its borders and citizens. Trudeau cannot stop India from doing so. If his accusation is correct, he should provide evidence and take it to international forums. If he lacks evidence, he should apologize to India. Moreover, Trudeau’s agenda is not about Sikh security; he simply wants to create problems for India. It is essential to remember that terrorism has caused turmoil in Punjab and among Sikhs. Trudeau’s rhetoric will not revive terrorism in Punjab, as Punjab and Sikhs have paid a hefty price for terrorism. Remember, just as Pakistan faced problems due to its indirect support for Islamic terrorism, Canada will also have to pay a high price.
In conclusion, the statements of American and Canadian leaders should be understood as products of preconceived notions. Moreover, this highlights India’s growing strength and its position as a challenge to the Western bloc after Russia and China. These statements and actions will neither impact India’s foreign policy nor have any long-term consequences. Sikh residents in India are well-integrated and aligned with Indian nationalism. A handful of extremist elements cannot dictate the opinions of ordinary Sikhs. Terrorism has caused immense suffering in Punjab and among Sikhs, and Trudeau’s attempts will not bring back terrorism to Punjab.
