Trudeau fumbles on global stage; time for West to remove orientalist lens

The harbinger of globalisation would do well to be less exceptionalist in its consideration of global terror threats. Regrettably, the US and some allies are finding it difficult to adjust to the American hegemony waning in the changing world order. For decades, West Asia had been seen as disconnected and different people. Then 9/11 happened. For decades again, the US, Canada and other Western and Anglospheric democracies denied Indian intelligence any cooperation with regard to the Khalistani threat. Even after it came home to roost in 1985 with the Air India bombing on Canadian soil, the culprits were let off with little to no consequence. A single terrorist was jailed, and the network that made the deadly attack possible remained untouched by the administration in Canada. For most international media, it was treated as an imported “brown man” problem. This, despite it being the CIA helping Pakistani intelligence, the Inter-services Intelligence (ISI), set up the  Khalistan project. Since then, the Canadian narco-terror-funded Khalistani gangs have received immense political support. The coddling of terrorists is so unchallenged that the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh, publicly refuses to condemn the mastermind of the deadly Kanishka Air bombing. His own family is enmeshed with Khalistanis. Justin Trudeau underscored his own disastrous visit to India in 2018 with an invitation, withdrawn under pressure later, to convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal. Even at the G20 meeting held in New Delhi recently, the Canadian security apparatus was the only one absolutely uncommitted to aiding India against terror being fomented on Canadian soil. Trudeau’s brazen support for Khalistani terror was likely a major reason for him being sidelined at the summit. His retaliatory posturing on his return home seems to have stemmed from the confusion that he would find Western support against India on the matter. Instead, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have both declined to back Canada, with Sunak instead stating that the UK would cooperate seriously on the Khalistan issue with India. The American hand, though, behind Trudeau’s confidence about his ill-judged remarks has started to show. The Five Eyes ally of Canada was first cited anonymously, and as the matter raged on, more information on previously cited “human and signal intelligence” trickled through to a report in the  New York Times Despite Trudeau’s floundering, the US establishment does not seem inclined to take more than a fraction of responsibility in the instigation of India this time. This leaves the Canadian premier repeating his lines about “potential links” and “credible allegations” in press meetings, without impact. The NYT report makes it clear that the US had some data that only “provided context” to the killing of Nijjar in Canada. With Trudeau having previously attempted to combat the fallout of the fracas through selective leaks to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the Indian establishment was not only unmoved but used the same means to hit back directly at the US instead. A report outlining Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s terrorist activities carried highly incriminating information about continued American involvement in the Khalistan design. It cites the Indian intelligence chief confronting the CIA Director about Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun being a CIA asset, and remaining untouched while threatening Hindus in Canada, Indian diplomats and political leadership. While Canada’s accusation against India on charges of extra-judicial killings on Canadian soil is simply not backed up by any amount of evidence so far, the matter also brings to the fore the  hypocrisy employed  in international relations by nations of the Global North. The Canadian prime minister cited “credible allegations” based on “intelligence” that was revealed by the premier of British Columbia David Eby to be open source, essentially, something akin to a Google search. The ongoing diplomatic tussle has, however, shone an unprecedented global spotlight on the issue of anti-India Khalistani terror. While his intent has been less than friendly, the unexpected effect of Trudeau’s diplomatic misspeak has been a massive amount of international scrutiny on radicalised Sikhs operating as gangsters on foreign soil. The issue has the Indian government pushing back against what has been perceived as the collective West’s soft approach on terror against India. Canada being used as a scapegoat in the American hedging against India affects Trudeau badly at home. At the same time, Canada’s mess serves as an example to other nations who expect India’s servility in the face of threats to its territorial integrity, and to the lives of its citizens. It also allows the Narendra Modi government the chance to remind citizens about its tough stance on terror right before the 2024 elections. So far, his administration was seen as hesitant to tackle Khalistan sympathisers due to possible unrest in Punjab. The government had even erased a blacklist of select Sikh-origin foreign nationals who were on a travel ban to India for 35 years. The protests against the Farm Bills during the lockdown were also overtaken by Khalistan sympathisers, against which the government made no statements. With the protests turning into riots at times, involving the desecration of the Red Fort on India’s Republic Day in 2021, a Dalit Sikh man being butchered in broad daylight, as well as a woman dying from COVID after being gang-raped at the protest site, the lack of immediate vocal condemnation from officials led to despondency in the Indian public about Khalistani appeasement. While legal action against perpetrators was swift after the fact, the events culminated to steer the narrative against domestic expectations about internal security at the time. The ongoing spectacle allows the Indian government to address the international source of the Khalistan problem. Despite a lack of noise around proceedings, India’s National Investigative Agency (NIA) had assiduously investigated links to Khalistanis at the time. The groundwork laid by them over the last few years has allowed the present crackdown against gangsters and terrorists, with GS Pannun’s and Nijjar’s properties being confiscated by Indian agencies. The glorification of secessionist gangsters promoting the drug-fuelled gun culture through the Punjabi music and movie industry is being addressed for the first time, with singer Shubhneet Singh’s India tour cancelled after he shared a heavily distorted map of India. NIA’s most wanted list includes Lawrence Bishnoi, the gangster who claimed responsibility for the murder of Nijjar in Canada and who was responsible for the daylight murder of hugely popular singer Siddhu Moosewala, along with other Khalistanis. The government is also considering the cancellation of the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card of suspected Khalistan sympathisers. OCI is a privilege afforded to people of Indian heritage that offers visa-free entry and property ownership, among other perks. The ripple effect has reached Canadian gurdwaras where posters of dreaded terrorists Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala and Talwinder Singh Parmar are being taken down, along with posters threatening the lives of Indian diplomats. India retains the upper hand in this powerplay simply due to its justified refusal to be bullied on a matter of national security. This only adds to Trudeau’s headaches at home. It is being suggested by Canadian analysts that the entire issue may have been drummed up to distract his voter base from further questions about Chinese interference in Canadian politics. It also adds to his embarrassment around a literal Nazi, Yuroslav Hunka, being invited to Parliament and felicitated, with Trudeau and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy leading the ovation. This follows the dramatic dissent showcased by his own citizens as Zelenskyy and he left a Toronto hotel after a meeting. As Trudeau fumbles on the international stage, other nations see India’s stance as unexpected but unarguably fair. While the fiasco serves to drive home a point about all nations favouring citizen interest, including nations of the Global South, others must ask themselves if they are willing to remove their orientalist lens and work together towards a truer rules-based order. The author is a columnist and podcaster with Masters in Biotechnology from the University of Bath. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .