India has completely rejected the allegations made by Canada that linked Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader within Canadian borders. The Indian government labeled these assertions as baseless and driven by ulterior motives.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in an official statement, responded to the claims, saying, “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 statement further added that similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to PM Modi, and were completely rejected. “We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law. 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 MEA said.
It further said that the inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern. “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.
The Ministry further urged the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil.
Canada’s “absurd” claims
Canada on Monday expelled a senior Indian diplomat as part of an ongoing investigation following what the country’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau deemed as credible allegations of the Indian government’s potential ties to the assassination of a Sikh activist on Canadian soil.
The allegations gained momentum after Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent advocate for an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, was fatally shot on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia. Prime Minister Trudeau informed the Canadian Parliament about the active investigation being carried out by Canadian intelligence agencies.
During his statement to Parliament, Trudeau highlighted that he had raised the matter with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G-20 summit the previous week, as per a report by AP. The report further suggested that Trudeau emphasized that any involvement by the Indian government would be deemed unacceptable and stressed the need for cooperation in the ongoing investigation. Consequently, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed the expulsion of the head of Indian intelligence in Canada in response to these allegations.
