Soon after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused India of killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil and Canada expelled one Indian diplomat over it, the Indian government rejected all of Canada’s allegations.
In a swift response, the Ministry of External Affairs has stated that any allegation of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing is ‘absurd and motivated’.
The statement read, “We have seen and rejected the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of the 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 the 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 organized crime is not new.
We reject any attempts to connect the 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.”
Earlier today, the Canadian government expelled one Indian diplomat after PM Justin Trudeau blamed India for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly says an Indian Diplomat has been expelled as it investigates into killing of Canadian citizen, Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. https://t.co/t9GylRUH1Y pic.twitter.com/OBjZZH1QiB
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 19, 2023
The development came after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly informed in a presser that the allegations of India’s involvement are being investigated. She termed the killing an attack on Canada’s sovereignty and informed that as a consequence, Canada has expelled one top Indian diplomat.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the head of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib and a wanted Khalistani terrorist in India, was shot dead in Surrey by two unidentified assailants on June 18 this year. He was a wanted terrorist by the Indian Government. The 46-year-old hailed from the village Bhar Singhpura of Jalandhar.
