India’s eroding democratic values questions its reliability as an ally to Canada

Following the Canadian government's acknowledgment of credible allegations that link the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar to the Indian government, Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal recently brought forward motion M-112 in the House of Commons. The motion raises questions around India’s democracy, given the decline in democratic principles within that country, and whether it is a trustworthy ally. However, MPs must extend their focus beyond the immediate concerns of foreign interference in Canada to also consider the deteriorating state of democracy in India. Since 2017, the government led by India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been actively targeting the expulsion of Rohingya refugees leading to widespread arrests and detentions. According to human rights groups, between 2017 and April 2022, 16 Rohingya individuals were forcibly repatriated to Myanmar, facing significant dangers upon return. The Indian government's recent request to the Supreme Court to accelerate the deportation of additional Rohingya refugees underscores a troubling pattern of discrimination against religious minorities. Despite possessing United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees refugee cards—which are not recognized by India because it is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention—the government asserts that Rohingya Muslims do not possess an inherent right to live and settle within its borders. The targeting of Rohingya refugees is indicative of a larger policy direction reflecting India's hardening stance against its Muslim citizens and refugees from surrounding nations, which is eliciting increased concern from the international community. This criticism arises from various governmental policies and actions that appear to systematically marginalize Muslim communities, and to deny refuge to Muslims fleeing persecution. In particular, the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on March 11, 2024, has sparked widespread backlash from international human rights groups like Amnesty International for contravening the core principles of equality and religious non-discrimination. Aakar Patel, chair of the board at Amnesty International India, has condemned the CAA as a "bigoted law" that not only legitimizes religious discrimination, but also disregards the widespread criticism from various sectors within the country and the international community. The CAA provides a fast track to naturalization for non-Muslims fleeing religious persecution from India’s Muslim-majority neighbours—Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh—while deliberately omitting Muslim refugees from the same nations. This selective provision has raised alarms about the Indian government's potential agenda to remodel the nation's secular framework towards a Hindu-centric ideology by marginalizing Muslim citizens who represent the nation's largest religious minority group. Home Minister Amit Shah explained that when combined with the proposed national citizenship verification process through the National Register of Citizens and the establishment of Foreigners Tribunals, the CAA is part of a larger government plan aimed at systematically identifying and excluding irregular immigrants. Shah's controversial characterization of Muslim illegal immigrants as "termites," and his assertion that they would be systematically removed underscores a governmental stance poised to disproportionately impact Muslims, rendering them stateless, and vulnerable to detention and deportation. Given the escalating dangers facing the Rohingya and other Muslim refugees, it is critical for the international community, including Canada, to demand accountability from India. Canada must take a leading stance in advocating for the protection of religious minorities within India, particularly those adversely affected by the CAA. The Indian government's disregard for international refugee conventions should prompt Canada to scrutinize such actions as a breach of the human rights principles integral to our foreign policy and bilateral relations, principles to which Prime Minister Trudeau's administration has committed. Liberal MP Chandra Arya has expressed support for India, lobbying against motion M-112 with the argument that its adoption could negatively impact Canada-India relations. Arya contends that Hindu-Canadians are in favour of maintaining strong ties between Canada and India. However, Arya's perspective disregards the pressing concerns related to human rights abuses in India, especially against religious minorities. His approach undermines Canada’s historical human rights-based foreign policy, and places diplomatic relations ahead of addressing fundamental human rights issues. Canada has a vital role in supporting Indian civil society organizations that are legally contesting the CAA. These groups represent a critical voice within the country, striving to uphold constitutional values and protect the rights of all citizens, irrespective of their religious identity. Intensifying its involvement with UN entities to safeguard religious minorities against state-sanctioned discrimination must also be a priority for Canada. The prejudicial measures adopted by India towards its Muslim citizens and refugees not only challenge the country's commitment to its foundational values, but also raise questions about its standing in the international community. Canada needs to re-evaluate its foreign policy towards India and other international partners engaging in similar practices. Holding these actions accountable is not just about diplomatic relations; it's about standing firm on the principles of justice, equality, and human rights that Canada once championed on the world stage. Aiden Alexio is a lawyer, and serves as a human rights policy analyst for Justice for All Canada, a not-for-profit human rights organization advocating for persecuted Muslim, Indigenous communities, and other religious and ethnic minorities facing oppression. The Hill Times