Veiled attack on Canada to throwing 'challenge' for west - Jaishankar waxes eloquence at UNGA

Veiled attack on Canada to throwing 'challenge' for west - Jaishankar waxes eloquence at UNGA

New Delhi

Those who thought the recent skirmishes with Canada could impact India's confidence; were in for a shock. We may not be wrong to say that with a booming economy and notwithstanding global challenges and a confident Prime Minister driving the governance engine, Bharat, that is India, is having its moment in the sun. 

If G20 was a step towards emergence of a new Bharat with neo-assertiveness; notwithstanding the recent diplomatic row sparked off by Canada; India remained firm at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).  

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar sounded all confident and with proper backing from his leader, that is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and hence he could make a statement ventilating India's position on multiple global issues crystal clear. 

"When we aspire to be a leading power, this is not for self-aggrandizement but to take on greater responsibility and make more contributions. The goals we have set for ourselves will make us different from all those whose rise preceded ours," Dr Jaishankar told the UN General Assembly.

In Dr S Jaishankar's nuanced words .... "This (monopoly of the west) cannot go on indefinitely. Nor will it go unchallenged" --- remains the neo-assertiveness of the new Bharat.  

 "Mr. President, we must never again allow an injustice like vaccine apartheid to recur. Climate action too cannot 

continue to witness an evasion of historical responsibilities. The power of markets should not be utilized 

to steer food and energy from the needy to the wealthy," Dr Jaishankar said. 

"From the era of non-alignment, we have now evolved to that of Vishwa Mitra (a friend to the world). This is reflected 

in our ability and willingness to engage with a broad range of nations. And, where necessary, harmonize interests". This

quote from India's second career diplomat-turned-foreign minister also demonstrates that India has remained

unfazed by the deliberate row triggered by (and criticism from) Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

"Nor must we countenance that political convenience determines responses to terrorism, extremism and 

violence. Similarly, respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs cannot be exercises 

in cherry picking."

Dr Jaishankar's selective phrase -- "Nor must we countenance that political convenience determines responses to terrorism..." -- is largely seen as a veiled attack on Canada and its beleaguered Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.  

India, which provided COVID-19 vaccines to over 100 countries during the pandemic, told the UN General Assembly that an “injustice like vaccine apartheid” should never again be allowed to recur.

The External Affairs Minister said that India demonstrated this during the Covid pandemic through the Vaccine 

Maitri initiative under which it supplied the much-needed and life-saving vaccines to over 100 nations around 

the world at a time when countries were stockpiling vaccine doses for themselves.

He also said: "Excellencies, programs underway in India highlight the transformational role of digital delivery 

of public goods. It has facilitated scaling up, it has enhanced efficiency and it has combated corruption. The 

national objective of Leaving No One Behind is forging ahead in so many dimensions.

Moreover, the democratization of technology has opened mindsets, instilled confidence and inspired innovations.

"In our deliberations, we often advocate the promotion of a rules-based order. From time to time, respect for the 

UN Charter is also invoked. But for all the talk, it is still a few nations who shape the agenda and seek to define 

the norms. This cannot go on indefinitely. Nor will it go unchallenged.

"A fair, equitable and democratic order will surely emerge, once we all put our minds to it. And for a start, t

hat means ensuring that rule makers do not subjugate rule takers.

"After all, rules will work only when they apply equally to all," (he said possibly in reference to western powers including 

Canada and the US notwithstanding the fact that Washington-New Delhi ties have grown closer in recent times".

"Recently, we hosted the creation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The forging of the Global 

Biofuels Alliance was another notable development. This willingness to work in an open-minded manner on specific domains is now a defining characteristic of the emerging multipolar order," he said.

ends

Justin Trudeau under fire as man who fought 'for Nazis' was given standing ovation in Canada's Parliament

The season of courting controversies is certainly not over for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

Canada's leader of the opposition, Pierre Poilievre, has launched a scathing attack on Trudeau, alleging that he “personally met with and honoured” a veteran who fought for the Nazis during World War II. 

Terming it an “appalling error in judgment” on the part of Trudeau, Poilievre said that the prime minister's personal protocol office is responsible for arranging and vetting all guests and programming for state visits of this kind.

"Canadians are sick and tired of the Prime Minister who never takes responsibilities as far as things that happen under his watch whether it is record high inflation, doubling of housing cost and constatnt international embarrassment; he always finds someone else just to throw under the bus...," Poilievre said in Canadian Parliament. 

A major controversy erupted after Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian immigrant, was recognised as a war hero in Canada's House of Commons during a visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The speaker of Canada's parliament Anthony Rota hailed Hunka as "a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians" and “a Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero.”

Following the speaker's acknowledgement of Hunka, the House gave him a standing ovation.

Rota has apologised for recognizing Hunka as a “Ukrainian hero”, adding that he regrets the decision to do so. He also took responsibility for what was characterized as an oversight, calling the initiative "entirely my own."

“I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them.”  

“It has come out today that Justin Trudeau personally met with and honoured a veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (a Nazi division). 

Liberals then arranged for this Nazi veteran to be recognized on the floor of the House of Commons during the visit of the Ukrainian President,” the leader of the opposition wrote in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter).

“No parliamentarians (other than Justin Trudeau) had the opportunity to vet this individual’s past before he was introduced and honoured on the floor of the House of Commons. Without warning or context, it was impossible for any parliamentarian in the room (other than Mr. Trudeau) to know of this dark past,” he said. 

“Mr. Trudeau must personally apologize and avoid passing the blame to others as he always does.”

Jason Cherniak, a Jewish lawyer from Richmond Hill who was present in the Parliament for Zelensky's speech, said he also stood up and applauded Hunka assuming he was a “partisan who fought communist occupation after WWII.”

“Now I’ve learned he was a volunteer member of an SS unit, I feel sick to my stomach.”

“As a Jew who was one of the people unknowingly applauding a Nazi soldier, I can hardly imagine a more embarrassing moment. Somebody had better take responsibility for it in a serious way. Everybody who was in that room needs to feel clean again,” he said in a series of posts on X.

In yet another embarrassment for Canada, Russia is now seeking answers from Ottawa after the House of Commons gave a standing ovation to 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, who is believed to have fought in the Second World War on behalf of a Nazi military unit. 

The Kremlin said it was "outrageous" that the speaker of Canada's House of Commons had praised an individual at a parliamentary meeting who served in a Nazi unit during World War Two.