Justin Trudeau responds to claims he flew on a private plane full of cocaine to G20
Topics: Justin Trudeau, Canada, Politics
Anish Vij
Featured Image Credit: GEERT VANDEN WIJNGAERT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images / Daniel Jayo/Getty Images
Topics: Justin Trudeau, Canada, Politics
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has addressed the bizarre reports that his plane was allegedly 'full of cocaine' when he arrived in India for the G20 this month.
The strange claims from the Indian media come amidst a diplomatic spat between the the two countries.
On the one hand, Trudeau has argued that there are 'credible allegations' of involvement from the Indian state in the death of a Sikh leader in Canada.
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The allegation of India’s involvement in the killing is based on surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, which includes intelligence provided by a major ally, a Canadian official has said.
On the other hand, Indian ambassador Sudan Deepak Vohra previously said on Monday that 'sniffer dogs found cocaine on his plane' when it landed in India.
“He didn’t go to the president’s dinner. People say he was in a drug-induced stupor,” Mr Vohra claimed while featuring as a panelist on a show on Zee News.
The panel were discussing 'how the brain of the Canadian prime minister worked'.
“Does he have a brain? He is a tiny infant,” Vohra said. "Can’t say what’s going on in his head but I understand his behaviour shows he was freaked out.
"He has become lonely. He is now trying to show that he is a Canadian Rambo and nothing can go wrong in his presence.
"India has done the right thing by suspending visa services in Canada."
However, Trudeau has vehemently denied claims of there being drugs on the plane.
“This (is) absolutely false and a troubling example of how disinformation can make its way into media reporting,” his office said in a statement on Wednesday.
Also speaking on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Trudeau acknowledged the complicated diplomatic situation.
“The decision to share these allegations on the floor of the House of Commons was not done lightly,” he said.
“There is no question that India is a country of growing importance and a country that we need to continue to work with.
“We are not looking to provoke or cause problems but we are unequivocal around the importance of the rule of law and unequivocal about the importance of protecting Canadians.”
India has called the allegations 'absurd'.
Canada has yet to provide public evidence to back Trudeau’s allegations and the country’s UN ambassador Bob Rae indicated that might not come soon.
“This is very early days,” Mr Rae said on Thursday, saying that while facts will emerge, they must 'come out in the course of the pursuit of justice'.
“That’s what we call the rule of law in Canada."
UNILAD has contacted a representative for Trudeau for comment.