‘India Dismisses Canada’s Accusation Regarding the Killing of Khalistani Terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar as Baseless and Unfounded’. On Tuesday, India firmly dismissed the “absurd” allegations made by the Canadian government, which claimed that Indian agents played a role in the demise of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“We have reviewed and firmly reject both the Canadian Prime Minister’s remarks in their Parliament and the Foreign Minister’s statement. Accusations suggesting the involvement of the Government of India in any form of violence in Canada are baseless and driven by ulterior motives… India stands as a democratic nation with a steadfast dedication to the rule of law,” the statement affirmed.
“These unsupported accusations appear designed to divert attention away from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have found refuge in Canada and persistently pose threats to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Canadian Government’s inaction on this issue has been an ongoing and deeply troubling concern,” the statement highlighted.
“It remains deeply concerning that Canadian political figures have openly shown sympathy for these elements. Canada’s history of providing a haven for various illegal activities, including murder, human trafficking, and organized crime, is well-documented. We categorically disavow any efforts to link the Government of India to such occurrences. We strongly urge the Canadian Government to swiftly and decisively pursue legal action against all individuals engaging in anti-India activities on their soil,” the MEA emphasized.
Canada’s action on Monday involved the expulsion of a senior Indian diplomat during an ongoing investigation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited credible accusations suggesting potential Indian government involvement in the killing of a Khalistani terrorist on Canadian soil as the reason behind this move.
Speaking in the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau revealed that Canadian intelligence agencies had launched an investigation into these allegations in the wake of the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, a vocal proponent of an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, tragically lost his life on June 18 in a shooting incident outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia.
In his address, Trudeau noted that he had discussed this issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the preceding week’s G20 summit. Trudeau stressed that he had conveyed to Modi that any potential involvement by the Indian government would be regarded as unacceptable. He also requested cooperation in the ongoing investigation.
“If these allegations are substantiated, it would constitute a significant breach of our sovereignty and the fundamental principles governing international relations,” stated Joly. “As a result, we have taken the step of expelling a high-ranking Indian diplomat.”
Canada is home to a Sikh community exceeding 770,000 individuals, approximately 2% of its total population.
“In recent weeks, Canadian security agencies have been diligently investigating credible claims regarding a potential connection between individuals associated with the Government of India and the tragic killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” stated Trudeau.
