Agencies
Toronto: India’s relations with Canada nosedived today when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi of involvement in the killing of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar at a Sikh temple in Surrey in June.
Canada also expelled “a senior Indian diplomat” for India’s alleged involvement in the killing. The expelled Indian diplomat is said to be Pavan Kumar Rai.
Nijjar, who was spearheading the Khalistani referendum in Canada, was gunned down by two persons on June 18 in the parking lot of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
Trudeau said the “agents of the Indian government” carried out Nijjar’s killing.
The Canadian Prime Minister, who was snubbed in India during his recent visit, said, ”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 said, ”Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty. It is contrary to the fundamental rules by which free, open, and democratic societies conduct themselves.
“As you would expect, we have been working closely and coordinating with our allies on this very serious matter.”
He said because of Nijjar’s killing, Canadians are now “angry” and “perhaps frightened right now.”
Expelling the senior Indian diplomat, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said, “My expectations are clear. I expect India to fully collaborate with us and get to the bottom of this.”
Canada’s Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said, “We’ll hold the perpetrators accountable and bring them to justice.”
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