"Absurd": India rejects Canada's claims of involvement in Sikh leader's murder
India has rejected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations regarding agents of its government being involved in the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
In a statement, the Indian government said Canada’s claims of its involvement in Nijjar’s death were “absurd and motivated.”
On Monday, Trudeau rose in the House of Commons and said, “Over the past number of weeks, 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.”
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Nijjar, a 45-year-old plumber and leader in Surrey’s Sikh community, was gunned down in front of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in mid-June.
He was publicly connected to the campaign for Khalistan, an independence movement seeking a separatist Sikh nation in Punjab, India.
However, the movement has been condemned by the Government of India over its extremist ties. According to reports from India, Nijjar was wanted in the country and declared a terrorist.
In its statement, the Indian government said the “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 inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern.”
India also responded to the accusations by expelling a senior Canadian diplomat based in the South Asian country.
“The decision reflects the Government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities,” read a statement.
This comes after Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly confirmed that Canada had expelled an “Indian diplomat” following Trudeau’s announcement on Monday.
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