India rejected claims by the Canada government today that it had an involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Updated on Sept 19, 12.40 p.m.

India expels Canadian diplomat, citing interference concerns

Amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Canada, New Delhi today expelled a senior Canadian diplomat based here, who has been asked to leave within the next five days.

The High Commissioner of Canada to India (Cameron Mackay) received summons today during which the Government of India conveyed its decision to expel a senior Canadian diplomat currently stationed in the country.

"The decision reflects Government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities," the statement issued by the external affairs ministry said.

Terming them as “absurd and motivated” the external affairs ministry in a statement said, “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.”

“Similar allegations were made by the Canadian prime minister to our prime minister, and were completely rejected,” the statement said further.

“We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law,” the ministry said further.

“We urge the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil,” the statement added.

It went on to add, “The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern”.

Trudeau’s statement

India’s reaction came after Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau in an emergency statement made in Parliament, said on Sept 18 that Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between Indian government agents and the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.

The startling accusation was followed by the Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly, who informed that they had expelled a top Indian diplomat over the incident.

She even said that she has conveyed her concerns to foreign minister S Jaishankar over the development.

An attempt to shift focus

The Indian external affairs ministry further said, “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 external affairs ministry statement further said, “That 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 the Government of India to such developments”.

During his meeting with Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit earlier this month, PM Modi had conveyed India's strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities by extremist elements in Canada.

PM Modi had told his Canadian counterpart that these elements are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats and damaging diplomatic premises as well as threatening the Indian community there and also their places of worship.

(Source: IANS)

-Edited for style

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