Mumbai: India has expelled a top Canadian diplomat after Canada expelled an Indian diplomat. Canada’s move came after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that India was likely behind the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
The ministry stated in a statement on Tuesday that New Delhi’s decision was a result of its “growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities.”
The conflicting expulsions occur amid tight relations between Canada and India. Trade negotiations have stalled, and Canada just postponed a scheduled trade delegation to India for later this year.
The administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is upset with protests by pro-Sikh independence organizations in Canada.
Ottawa declared on Monday that it was “actively pursuing credible allegations” that the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18 involved operatives of the Indian government.
At the time of his passing, Nijjar was apparently planning an unofficial Indian referendum for an independent Sikh republic.
Nijjar was accused of taking part in an alleged attack on a Hindu priest in India, and the Indian government offered a monetary reward for information that would result in his capture last year.
Indian authorities have outlawed the Khalistan movement, also known as the Sikh independence movement, because they consider it and its connected organizations to be a threat to the country’s national security. However, the movement continues to have some support in northern India and nations with substantial Sikh diasporas like Canada and the United Kingdom. At the recent Group of 20 (G20) summit in New Delhi, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he discussed the murder of Nijjar with Modi.
He claimed that he requested Modi’s participation in the probe and informed Modi that any involvement by the Indian government would be unacceptable. “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” the speaker declared.
“In the strongest possible terms, I continue to urge the government of India to cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter.”
On Tuesday, the MEA released a statement dismissing the allegation and saying Trudeau had made similar allegations to Modi. “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 statement said, referring to the proposed autonomous Sikh homeland.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said a top diplomat, who she said was the head of Indian intelligence in Canada, was expelled as a consequence.
“If proven true, this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other,” Joly said. “
As a consequence, we have expelled a top Indian diplomat.”
Canada has a Sikh population of more than 770,000, or about 2 percent of its total population
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