India today dismissed Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, as “absurd and motivated” for alleging that it was involved in the execution of a Khalistani terrorist in June. The controversy also resulted in the expulsion of diplomats from India and Canada.
Here are the key takeaways from this significant story:
According to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, there are “credible allegations” that “agents of the Government of India” were involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Following the Prime Minister’s allegation, which suggested a significant escalation in the hostility between the two countries, India summoned Canadian High Commissioner Cameron MacKay this morning.
“Any foreign government’s involvement in the murder of a Canadian national on Canadian territory is an intolerable breach of our sovereignty. It is against the fundamental principles by which free, open, and democratic countries conduct their affairs, said Trudeau in front of the parliament today during an emergency session.
The Indian government “completely rejected” the claims made by the Canadian prime minister and stated that it is still very concerning when their political officials publicly show support for “such elements.”
Such speculative claims aim to divert attention away from Khalistani terrorists and radicals who have received protection in Canada and are still a threat to India’s territorial integrity. The Canadian government’s delay on this issue has long been of concern, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.
The statement argued that Canada has long tolerated a variety of illicit activities, such as murder, human trafficking, and organised crime, and asked Canada to act swiftly against any “anti-India elements” operating there.
The chief of India’s intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in Canada, according to Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie, was the Indian diplomat who was removed from the nation. Canada has not released the name of the expelled diplomat.
In June, unidentified assailants shot and killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of the Khalistani Tiger Force and the Canadian branch of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in Surrey, next to a gurdwara. Nijjar, a native of Jalandhar in the Punjab, immigrated to Canada in 1997. For being the “mastermind” of the Khalistani movement, he was wanted in India.
The statement argued that Canada has long tolerated a variety of illicit activities, such as murder, human trafficking, and organised crime, and asked Canada to act swiftly against any “anti-India elements” operating there.
The chief of India’s intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in Canada, according to Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie, was the Indian diplomat who was removed from the nation. Canada has not released the name of the expelled diplomat.
In June, unidentified assailants shot and killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of the Khalistani Tiger Force and the Canadian branch of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in Surrey, next to a gurdwara. Nijjar, a native of Jalandhar in the Punjab, immigrated to Canada in 1997. For being the “mastermind” of the Khalistani movement, he was wanted in India.
He was sought after in India because he was the “mastermind” of the Khalistani Tiger Force, which was considered a terrorist organisation there.
In connection with the killing of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, Punjab, the Indian anti-terror agency issued a cash reward of 10 lakh on Nijjar in July of last year. Nijjar was also charged with the 2007 Punjabi movie theatre bombing. The NIA is also looking into the recent assaults on Indian embassies in the US, UK, and Canada.
As fundamentalism has grown over the past few years, one of the Sikh diaspora community’s favourite hotspots has been Canada. Khalistani actions have been widespread in Canada over the past few months, including demonstrations outside the Indian Embassy and posters posing threats to Indian personnel.
