Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has repeatedly broken protocols while receiving heads of foreign countries, did not go to receive him at the airport himself when Trudeau and his family arrived in Delhi for a seven-day trip. Instead, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Affairs received him at the airport and his meeting with PM Modi is scheduled to take place on 23rd February. Pointing it out, Canadian columnist put out a tweet mentioning how a ‘low ranking official’ was sent to receive PM Trudeau.
On official state visits to India, PM Modi personally greets and welcomes the Israeli PM, UAE Crown Prince and US President. For PM Trudeau, he sends a low-ranking official. “Canada is back” pic.twitter.com/ezsMtFTPzr
— Candice Malcolm (@CandiceMalcolm) February 17, 2018
In her following tweets, she mentions how this could have been because of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s silence over his stand on pro-Khalistan separatists.
The world is noticing a strong #Modi standing up for India & snubbing Trudeau.
Trudeau must denounce Khalistani extremists while in India & apologize to Chief Minister @capt_amarinder. And Jagmeet Singh should denounce Khalistani radicals.
We must stand against terrorism. pic.twitter.com/SjUZ59oxgR
— Candice Malcolm (@CandiceMalcolm) February 18, 2018
As per Canadian media reports, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder has taken a strong stand and refused to meet PM Trudeau, whose cabinet minister he has publicly accused of being connected to Sikh separatist movement. In April 2017, Captain Amarinder had refused to meet Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan, a known Khalistani sympathiser, during his visit. Hence, while Modi Government has not made it explicitly clear that they are registering their reservations against the Canadian Government’s implied support to pro-separatist movement, speculations are that the BJP government is taking tough stand against Canadian government’s treatment meted out to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder as well as their non-committal stand against pro-Khalistan separatists. Yesterday, when Trudeau visited Agra, he was received at the airport by the district magistrate, unlike his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, who was received by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the airport.
While BJP government snubbed Prime Minister Trudeau for flirting with Khalistanis, Congress seems to be seeing it as an opportunity to take a dig at Prime Minister Modi. Congress social media head Divya Spandana said she would give Trudeau a hug because India loves Trudeau.
I’d give him a hug!! India loves @JustinTrudeau ? https://t.co/OjvDiMLmlY
— Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) February 18, 2018
She even added a hugging emoticon, probably to show how sincere her hug to Trudeau was. However, soon enough she got called out for her ‘hugplomacy’.
India dialed down the diplomatic niceties to Trudeau for the treatment meted to Punjab CM @capt_amarinder. Meanwhile his party’s spokesperson… https://t.co/W5XJq1p6x1
— Aashish Chandorkar (@c_aashish) February 18, 2018
In their hate for Modi, they will embrace apologists of Terror. Even in defiance of their own nationalist CM @capt_amarinder pic.twitter.com/4ePT4MhzBl
— हम भारत के लोग (@India_Policy) February 19, 2018
Even journalists, who have traditionally been anti-Modi saw merit in the government’s stand, but not Congress.
Who would’ve thought @JustinTrudeau would be a footnote& not a headline on a 7 day trip to India.Then again Canada underestimated anger over perceived support for Sikh extremists & snub to CM @capt_amarinder. Modi govt has been impressively tough on this-India speaking as one
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 19, 2018
Careful. Pl exchange notes with @capt_amarinder on Punjab’s fraught history, well-timed opening yday of gurudwara dedicated to Bhindranwale in his village & Modi Govt’s firm play, burying domestic politics to get the right responses from Trudeau https://t.co/MbUTji7HxF
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) February 19, 2018
Not just Divya, even Congress’ national spokesperson Sanjay Jha was busy undermining India’s united stand against pro-separatists, in support of Congress leader and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder.
Welcome PM @JustinTrudeau to India; easily the epitome of progressive liberalism whose ecumenical, catholic approach to a world increasingly ruptured by religious divisiveness and parochial politics is such a welcome relief.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) February 19, 2018
Jha and Divya snubbed their own party Chief Minister just to bring down Prime Minister Modi, who stood up with Captain Amarinder, despite political differences. Wonder if Spandana felt the need to defend Trudeau, who is busy courting Khalistani separatists because she has fashioned Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s social media campaign to project him as next liberal leader after Trudeau.
