GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th Oct. India on Monday dismissed as “preposterous imputations” Canada’s suggestions linking the Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa to the investigation into the alleged killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed receiving a diplomatic communication from Canada, which indicated that the High Commissioner and other Indian diplomats were “persons of interest” in the case.
In a strongly-worded response, the MEA rejected these allegations, accusing the Canadian government of pursuing a political agenda based on vote bank politics. It further stated that India reserves the right to take additional steps in response to Canada’s recent actions, which it described as “concocted allegations” against Indian diplomats.
“Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian government has not provided any evidence, despite multiple requests,” the MEA noted, highlighting what it called a deliberate smear campaign against India under the guise of an investigation. It added that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s approach towards India has long been marked by hostility, pointing to his 2018 visit to India and his stance on internal Indian matters.
The relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Trudeau’s September allegations suggesting a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing. Nijjar, a Khalistani extremist, was killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. India had termed these charges “absurd.”
The MEA criticized Trudeau’s actions as a strategy to divert attention from criticism of foreign interference in Canadian politics and to align with anti-India separatist agendas. It accused the Canadian government of enabling extremists to harass Indian diplomats, and disregarding multiple extradition requests from India concerning individuals accused of terrorism and organized crime.
The statement also defended High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, describing him as a seasoned diplomat with a 36-year career, and condemned the accusations against him as baseless. The MEA concluded by emphasizing India’s awareness of activities by the Canadian High Commission in India that align with the political goals of the Trudeau administration.
