"India-Canada Relationship Important, We Have To Rebuild...": Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said that it is a fundamental relationship between two countries and that Canada and India have a lot going for them adding that the time will come when it can be restored.

"I think we have to rebuild that relationship because it's based on far more than one allegation, by a PM of a particular government that is going to be facing elections soon. And I think it's a fundamental relationship between the two countries and the fact remains that Canada and India have a lot going for them," Mr Tharoor told ANI in Thiruvananthapuram.

He further expressed anticipation that both sides will conduct themselves with the maturity and calmness required to ensure that no lasting damage is done by this current controversy.

"There is a major trade relationship, there are 17 lakh Indians living in Canada. The student population is so large in Canada that 40 per cent of their international student body are Indians. So given all of this, I have absolutely no doubt that in my view, the India-Canada relationship is important" he said.

"It goes beyond, any one incident or beyond any one government. And the time will come when it can be restored. My hope is that both sides will conduct themselves with the maturity and calmness required to ensure that no lasting damage is done by this current controversy," Mr Tharoor said.

The India-Canada ties soured further after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged India's role behind the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This was followed by both countries expelling a senior diplomat in a tit-for-tat move.

However, India has out-rightly denied such allegations calling them 'absurd' and 'motivated'.

Notably, the Canadian PM has failed to present any evidence to back his claims.

On the INDIA coalition in Kerala, Shashi Tharoor said, "In Kerala, as there is long historic rivalry between the left front and the UDF I don't think we can compare in a general manner. There is going to be undoubtedly discussion in each state depending on the realities of that state and we all know what the realities of Kerala."

On the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress MP said that in the current circumstances, he would be surprised if the negative voting against the BJP government did not go up dramatically.

"We have a very good chance of bringing surprise in 2024, considering the situation, with the BJP government's performance a lot of people are unhappy. People are getting more concerned about unemployment, about the rising prices of essential commodities, when they're getting more and more insecure with hate and intolerance between communities. In these circumstances, it would be a surprise to me if the negative vote against the BJP government doesn't go up dramatically," he told ANI.

He further said, "In turn, there should be positive votes for our message, for harmony, the inclusion of social justice and bringing up the marginalized sections of society the Dalits, the OBCs and the Adivasis there all being given priority in the INDIA manifesto and approach. I'm confident that there is enough here to give us the ability to bring a genuine shock for the BJP government."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)