[Justin Trudeau and Narendra Modi in a file photo.]
New Delhi/Ottawa: Already strained diplomatic relation between India and Canada worsened further after Ottawa said it was investigating its Indian ambassador and other diplomats as "persons of interest" in the case related to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Soon after Canadian police talked about Indian diplomats’ involvement in the case, Ottawa expelled Indian envoys in the country, the move followed by a similar move by New Delhi.
There are now also reports that Canada – a G7 and Five Eyes (FVEY) member, is considering sanctions against India.
The latest escalation between India and Canada started Monday October 14, 2024 when the Canadian police accused “Indian agents” of involvement in homicides, extortion and violent acts and targeting supporters of the pro-Khalistan movement, which seeks a separate homeland for Sikhs in India.
Speaking on live television, Trudeau said India had made a "fundamental error" in supporting "criminal" acts in Canada and his government had to act on the latest findings.
"The evidence brought to light by the RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada's national police service] cannot be ignored," Trudeau said.
"It leads to one conclusion, it is necessary to disrupt the criminal activities that continue to pose a threat to public safety in Canada. That is why we acted", he added.
This is not the first time Canada claimed the involvement of “Indian agents” in Nijjar murder. Justin Trudeau had made similar allegations while speaking in the Canadian Parliament in September last.
“Over the past number of weeks, 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 Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” Trudeau had said in the Parliament.
India denied the allegations asserting that Canada has provided no evidence to support its claims.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in his truck by two masked gunmen in the parking lot of a Sikh temple on June 18, 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
India had accused Nijjar of being involved in “terrorist activities”, and had demanded his extradition from Canada.
The government conveyed that India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the "Trudeau Government's support for extremism, violence and separatism against India".
"Prime Minister Trudeau's hostility to India has long been in evidence. In 2018, his visit to India, which was aimed at currying favour with a vote bank, rebounded to his discomfort.
“His Cabinet has included individuals who have openly associated with an extremist and separatist agenda regarding India. His naked interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
Meanwhile, New Zealand, a member of the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance, has backed Canada amid the escalating diplomatic row with India.
“The alleged criminal conduct outlined publicly by Canadian law enforcement authorities, if proven, would be very concerning,” said New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters in a statement on X Tuesday.
The ‘Five Eyes’ is an intelligence alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
Established after World War II, the countries in the grouping regularly share intelligence and coordinate their security efforts to protect their national interests.
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