Relations between India and Canada have nose-dived after both expelled each others top diplomats after Canada named Indian diplomats in the alleged killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an alleged Khalistan activist in Canada.
Nijjar was found shot dead on the evening of June 18, 2023, in a pickup truck in the parking of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Surry, British Columbia, the Vancouver Sun reported.
An Associated Press report says Canada says it expelled six Indian diplomats including High Commissioner first. “Regrettably, as India did not agree and given the ongoing public safety concerns for Canadians, Canada served notices of expulsion to these individuals. Subsequent to those notices, India announced it would withdraw its officials,” Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said.
Reacting sharply to Canada naming Indian diplomats ‘as persons of interest’ in the Nijjar case, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has in a statement named six Canadian diplomats who have been asked to leave India by 11.59 pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024.
The diplomats expelled are namely, Mr. Stewart Wheelar, Acting High Commissioner, Mr. Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner, Ms Marie Catherine Joly, First secretary, Mr Ian Ross David Trites, First Secretary, Mr Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary, and Ms Paula Orjuela, First Secretary.
Official Spokesman of the MEA Randhir Jaisawal in a statement posted on X, the MEA says, ” The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics.”
Full MEA Press Release, October 14, 2024 :
Our response to diplomatic communication from Canada:https://t.co/TepgpVVPxp
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 14, 2024
The Hindu, The Evening Wrap, 15 October 2024 adds:
‘Simply not true’: India denies Canada’s accusations linking Indian diplomats to organised crime gangs
Canada’s claims linking Indian diplomats to transnational organised crime gangs are “simply not true”, India said on Tuesday. Noting that the Canadian government had engaged with Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma during its investigation into the 2023 murder of pro-Khalistan preacher Harjeet Singh Nijjar, sources in New Delhi termed Ottawa’s latest accusations against the High Commissioner as “absurd”.
“At the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] RCMP briefing, assertions were made about connections of certain individuals to India. In no case were any specifics provided. There was also talk about holding people accountable. But it was never made clear who and for what,” said a source familiar with the ongoing exchanges between India and Canada.
At a Monday briefing, the RCMP’s top officials suggested that Indian diplomats were in contact with at least one transnational crime gang — the Bishnois — who carried out violent actions against South Asian targets in Canada. Such assertions from the Canadian leadership were not helpful in dealing with the unprecedented diplomatic crisis that has broken out, the source added.
UPDATED – 16 October, 2024.
This is a developing story and will be updated as and when needed.
