Analyzing Persuasive Communication Tool Ethos, Pathos, Logos in India-Canada Conflict

Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Political communication is a process by which political actors and institutions communicate with the public and each other. It can take many forms, including speeches, debates, interviews, advertising, and social media posts.
Political communicators often use a variety of rhetorical devices to persuade their audiences. Three of the most important rhetorical devices are ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos

Ethos is the speaker’s credibility or trustworthiness. It is established through the speaker’s knowledge, experience, expertise, and reputation. Politicians often do so by demonstrating their commitment to the values and interests of their audience.

Pathos

Pathos refers to the speaker’s ability to evoke emotions in the audience. It can be used to evoke feelings of patriotism, pride, anger, fear, or pity. Politicians often use pathos to appeal to voters’ hopes, fears, and dreams. They might also use it to connect with voters personally and build a sense of community.

Logos

Logos refers to the speaker’s use of logic and reason to persuade the audience. It involves using evidence, such as facts, statistics, and expert opinions, to support one’s claims. Politicians often use logos to present their policies and to explain how they will benefit the country. They might also use it to refute the arguments of their opponents.

The diplomatic ties between India and Canada nosedived after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a “potential link” between “agents of the Government of India” and the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The Ministry of External Affairs, India, had issued a strong statement denying all these allegations as absurd and motivated. Following is the analysis of the Press Statements by the Ministry of External Affairs, India, regarding ethos, pathos, and logos.

The complete Press Statement
India rejects allegations by Canada
September 19, 2023

We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister.

Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated.

Similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister, and were completely rejected.

We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law.

Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern.

That Canadian political figures have openly expressed sympathy for such elements remains a matter of deep concern.

The space given in Canada to a range of illegal activities including murders, human trafficking and organised crime is not new.

We reject any attempts to connect Government of India to such developments.

We urge the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil.

New Delhi
September 19, 2023

Analyzing Ethos in the Text

1. The statement is from the Ministry of External Affairs of India, the official government agency responsible for foreign policy. This gives the statement an air of authority and credibility.
2. The statement also mentions that the allegations have been “completely rejected” by the Prime Minister of India. This further establishes the government’s position on the matter.
3. The statement establishes the Indian government’s credibility by asserting that India is a democratic polity with a strong commitment to the rule of law. This appeal to ethos is essential because it helps to build trust with the reader and makes it more likely that they will be receptive to the statement’s message.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the ethos in the statement:

• “We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law.”
• “We reject any attempts to connect Government of India to such developments.”
• “We urge the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil.”

Analyzing Pathos in the Text

1. The statement uses strong language to express the government’s concern about the allegations. For example, the allegations are described as “absurd” and “motivated.”
2. The statement also appeals to the emotions of Indian citizens by mentioning the threat to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity posed by Khalistani terrorists and extremists.
3. The statement also expresses concern about the Canadian government’s inaction and the sympathy that some Canadian political figures have expressed for such elements. This appeal to pathos is designed to evoke feelings of patriotism and anger in the reader, making them more likely to support the Indian government’s position.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the Pathos in the statement:

• “Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated.”
• “Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
• “The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern.”
• “That Canadian political figures have openly expressed sympathy for such elements remains a matter of deep concern.”
• “The space given in Canada to a range of illegal activities including murders, human trafficking and organised crime is not new.”

Analyzing Logos in the Text

1. The statement presents several logical arguments to refute the allegations. For example, the statement points out that India is a “democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law.” This suggests that India is unlikely to be involved in any acts of violence.
2. The statement also mentions that the allegations are “unsubstantiated.” This suggests that there is no evidence to support the claims.
3. Additionally, the statement provides specific examples of Khalistani terrorist and extremist activities in Canada.
4. The statement also uses logic and reason to persuade the reader. For example, the statement points out that the allegations of India’s involvement in violence in Canada are unsubstantiated and that there is no evidence to support them. The statement also notes that similar allegations have been made in the past and have been rejected by the Indian government. This appeal to logos is designed to show the reader that the Indian government’s position is based on facts and evidence.

Conclusion

Overall, the statement uses a combination of ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade the reader to accept the government’s position.
The text uses ethos to establish the credibility and trustworthiness of the Indian government. The speaker asserts that India is a democratic country committed to the rule of law. They are also calling on the Canadian government to take action against anti-India elements operating on their soil.

The text uses pathos to evoke emotions in the audience. The text appeals to the audience’s sense of patriotism and concerns about national security. They also express frustration with the Canadian government’s inaction against anti-India elements.

The text uses logos to present a logical argument for the Indian government’s position. The text indicates that the Canadian government has not provided evidence supporting their allegations against India. They also highlight that Canada has provided shelter to Khalistani terrorists and extremists who threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.