India Raises Concerns Over UK Extremism Report and Stalled Extraditions with Canada

The Ministry of External Affairs criticized a UK report on extremism, stating it's well-known and should not be misleading. India also highlighted 26 pending extradition requests with Canada, pointing out a lack of action on criminals including those wanted on terror charges.

In a pointed response, the Ministry of External Affairs has criticized the UK Home Office's recent report on rising extremism, which mentions 'Hindu nationalism,' 'Islamist extremism,' and 'Khalistani extremism' in the United Kingdom. The ministry firmly stated that the nature of these threats is 'well known' and the report should not be 'condoned and falsely equated.'

During a press conference, Randhir Jaiswal addressed reports from the UK media, emphasizing, 'The separatist and extremist threat out of the UK is well known, and it should not be condoned. We are clear in our response.' Turning to Canada, Jaiswal highlighted the worrying backlog of extradition requests pending response, indicating no progress in over a decade.

Jaiswal disclosed that there are 26 extradition requests pending with the Canadian government, some dating back more than ten years. Among those sought are Gurjeet Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Lakbir Singh Landa, and Arshdeep Singh Gill, wanted on terror-related charges. The announcement follows Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's mention of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in connection with a high-profile murder case.

(With inputs from agencies.)