Delhi:
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday accused the Indian government of “coercive behaviour and threatening and violent acts”, as the two countries announced tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats following the killing of a Khalistani terrorist. During a press conference, Mr Trudeau said New Delhi’s “fundamental error” was “unacceptable” as tensions reached new heights over the 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.
Calling the expulsion “additional steps to protect Canadians”, Mr Trudeau echoed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)’s claim that “agents of the Government of India have engaged in, and continue to engage in, activities that pose a significant threat to public safety”.
Trudeau’s allegations coincide with sliding support and tanking popularity ratings, and two electoral losses ahead of next year’s elections.
Mr Trudeau also urged India to cooperate with the investigation, to recognize the evidence shared in the murder case so far and asserted that “extrajudicial operations abroad will henceforth be unequivocally aligned with international law”.
India has repeatedly denied the charges and claimed Canada has not shared any evidence in this regard.
New Delhi yesterday hit back at Canada over pursuing its diplomats as “persons of interest” in its investigation, calling their allegations “preposterous” and a “strategy of smearing India for political gains”. India has been maintaining that the main issue has been that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistani elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.
India and Canada each expelled the other’s ambassador and five other top diplomats, after New Delhi said its envoy had been named among “persons of interest” in Nijjar’s murder. New Delhi said it was withdrawing its six diplomats from Canada, but Ottawa said it had served them notices of expulsion. Though tensions have been simmering since the 2023 murder as Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” linking Indian intelligence services to the crime, the expulsions mark a major escalation.
India “decided to expel” Ottawa’s acting High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler, his deputy and four first secretaries, ordering they leave before midnight on Sunday.
Ottawa announced similar measures in return, with Canadian police saying they had “evidence pertaining to agents of the government of India’s involvement in serious criminal activity” in Canada. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said that India had refused to cooperate in the investigation, or to lift diplomatic immunity for its envoys.
India rejected the claim yesterday and said, “Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian Government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side.”
Nijjar — who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen in 2015 — had advocated for a separate Sikh state, known as Khalistan, carved out of India. He had been wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar’s murder, which took place in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Vancouver in June 2023.