Sikh Leader
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: India expelled top diplomat of Canada with a five days notice on Tuesday. India took the action after Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau blamed Indian government for the gruesome murder of Sikh leader in Canada.
Canada’s accusation that India may have been involved in the assassination of a Sikh activist triggered a row with Ottawa and New Delhi. Both expelled senior diplomats, sending relations between the two countries plunging.
File photo of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau with his wife.
The tit-for-tat diplomatic row emerged on Tuesday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada was investigating “credible allegations” linking India to the June killing of Canadian citizen and prominent Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“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 in parliament. Canadian government would take all steps necessary “to hold perpetrators of this murder to account.”
Sikhs for Justice calls for action against India
The pro-Khalistan organization based in Canada, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has called upon Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to expel India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma.
This request follows Prime Minister Trudeau’s confirmation that the Indian government was responsible for the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver approximately three months ago.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent pro-Khalistan Sikh leader and a strong advocate for an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, was the local leader of Sikhs For Justice and the Khalistan Referendum campaign.
He was tragically gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia.
Prime Minister Trudeau addressed the House of Commons regarding this “extremely serious matter,” stating that Canadian security agencies had been actively investigating credible allegations linking the Indian government to the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In response to this, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced the expulsion of the head of Indian intelligence in Canada, emphasizing the potential violation of Canada’s sovereignty.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ’s General Counsel and Attorney at Law in New York claimed that Prime Minister Trudeau’s statement in Parliament supports SFJ’s belief of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s assassination due to his leadership in the Canadian Chapter of the Khalistan Referendum. Pannun called for the expulsion of India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, in addition to the head of RAW.
Trudeau also mentioned that he had discussed the assassination with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G-20 summit. Trudeau emphasized the unacceptability of any Indian government involvement and requested cooperation in the investigation.
