Khalistan frost bites India-Canada ties

India-Canada ties nosedived to an all-time low with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau accusing Indian government agents to be complicit in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and expelling a senior diplomat from the Indian high commission in Ottawa.

Hours after, New Delhi retaliated by summoning the high commissioner of Canada to India Cameron MacKay and informing him about the Indian government's decision to expel a senior Canadian diplomat based in New Delhi. The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave the country within the next five days.

"The decision reflects Government of India's growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities," an official said, indicating that further actions against Canada may be in the offing.

Later in the day, Trudeau said he was not looking to "provoke" India or "escalate" tensions, but urged New Delhi to take the killing of a Sikh separatist leader with the "utmost seriousness".

While Canada expelled senior Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai stationed in Ottawa, India has expelled the station head of Canadian Intelligence service in New Delhi Olivier Sylvester.

Canadian media claimed that Trudeau has discussed the matter with leaders of the US, the UK and France. Meanwhile, security at the Canadian high commission in New Delhi has been intensified with the deployment of several personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force and Delhi police.

Also read: Justin Trudeau-Jagmeet Singh duo pampered Khalistani radicals

India also rejected allegations by the Canadian PM and its foreign minister on the killing of Nijjar and described the allegations as "absurd and motivated" and noted that such allegations shift focus from counter-terror issues. "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," the external affairs ministry said in a statement hours after the statements made by the Canadian PM and his foreign minister.

Also read: US And UK express 'deep concern' over Canada's allegations

"Similar allegations were made by the Canadian PM to our PM, and were rejected. We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law," the statement emphasised.

"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," the ministry said.

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

"Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, HS Nijjar," Trudeau said while speaking at the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday.

"Canada has declared its deep concerns to the top intelligence security officials of the Indian government. Last week, at the G20, I brought them personally to Prime Minister Modi in no uncertain terms," he said.

Trudeau urged the Indian government to "cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter" and reiterate its position on "extra-judicial operations" in another country.

"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," Canada foreign minister Melanie Joly said. "As a consequence, we have expelled a top Indian diplomat," she said.

Meanwhile, Canada has issued a travel advisory, saying "avoid all travel to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir due to the unpredictable security situation. There is a threat of terrorism, militancy, civil unrest and kidnapping. This advisory excludes travelling to or within the Union Territory of Ladakh."