Despite being deemed “absurd and motivated” by the Indian side, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that there are “credible allegations of a potential link” between Indian government operatives and the execution of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, in Ottawa’s House of Commons. Picture by AP
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly promptly ordered the expulsion of a “top Indian diplomat” after Trudeau made the assertion in Canada’s Parliament. CBC reports that Pavan Kumar Rai, the chief of Canada’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was the diplomat Joly’s office identified.
Trudeau’s remark will further strain already strained bilateral ties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on September 10 saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “completely rejected” similar claims made by Trudeau during a meeting on September 10.
The terrorists and radicals of the Khalistani movement who have found sanctuary in Canada continue to pose a threat to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and such baseless accusations are an attempt to deflect attention away from them. The statement expressed long-standing and ongoing worry over the Canadian government’s lack of action on the issue.
A little over a week after Modi reminded Trudeau at their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit that New Delhi expects Ottawa to cooperate in combating pro-Khalistani forces on Canadian soil who are “promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats,” this event occurred.
Nijjar, a Canadian national, was fatally shot on June 18 in the Surrey, British Columbia, parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara. The Indian government has already labelled Nijjar a terrorist for his support of the Khalistan independence movement.
On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the House of Commons to inform them of a “extremely serious matter” he had discussed with opposition leaders.
For several weeks now, Canadian security services have been investigating allegations that operatives of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Canadian national Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The law always prevails in Canada. He emphasised the need of defending the nation’s sovereignty and keeping its people safe.
To top Indian intelligence and security authorities, Canada has expressed its grave concerns, he continued. At last week’s G20 summit, I gave them to Prime Minister Modi in no unclear terms. It is unacceptable for a foreign government to be involved in the murder of a Canadian on Canadian soil.
Trudeau acknowledged that some Indo-Canadians are experiencing anger and fear at the moment.
Joly soon after informed the media, “allegations that a representative of a foreign government may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen…on Canadian soil is not only troubling but it is completely unacceptable.” She went on to say, “As of today, and as a result,” Canada has expelled a high-ranking Indian diplomat.
Joly didn’t reveal the Indian diplomat’s identity, but her staff later determined that he was the head of the RAW station in Canada. It is not uncommon for governments to deport agents of foreign intelligence agencies, but it is unusual for them to reveal the identity of the officer being removed.
Joly added that she had told her Indian counterpart that Canada values transparency, the safety of its citizens, and the preservation of its sovereignty, and that she had asked for “India’s full collaboration to get to the bottom” of the problem. She also said that Canada would not “tolerate any form of foreign interference.”
The foreign affairs ministry dismissed Trudeau’s parliamentary remarks and the foreign minister’s comments in response to Canada’s charges. “Allegations of the government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated,” the ministry stated.
“Similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister and were completely rejected,” the statement read. To paraphrase, “We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law.”
Indian officials underlined their alarm over “Canadian political figures who have openly expressed sympathy for such elements,” according to the statement. “The space given in Canada to a range of illegal activities including murders, human trafficking, and organised crime is not new,” it continued.
The Indian side strongly denied any complicity on the part of the Indian government and instead demanded that “prompt and effective legal action be taken against all anti-India elements operating from their soil” in Canada.
A senior Canadian government source was quoted by CBC News as claiming that Trudeau has briefed the leaders of Canada’s closest allies about the matter. This included Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and Vice President Joe Biden of the United States.
Trudeau had stated he had brought up the subject of foreign meddling in Canada’s internal affairs with his Indian counterpart while speaking to the Canadian media on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
In response to a question on India’s worries about pro-Khalistan activities, Trudeau stated at the same news conference that Canada will always protect the right to peaceful protest while also promising to prevent bloodshed.
It’s very essential to Canada that people have the right to peacefully protest, assemble, and speak their minds, and he promised that Canada would always safeguard those rights. “At the same time, we are always available to forestall acts of violence and to counteract acts of hatred. When considering the community issue, he continued, “I think it’s important to remember that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada at large.
A brief readout issued by the external affairs ministry on the bilateral meeting on September 10 stated that Modi had conveyed to Trudeau India’s “strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada,” who are “promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community… and their places of worship.”
It is “essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats,” Modi had added, and “the nexus of such forces with organised crime, drug syndicates, and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada.”
The actions of pro-Khalistan groups in Canada have strained ties between that country and India. Extremists have been holding rallies and protests in favour of Khalistan throughout Canadian cities and attacking Indian diplomatic buildings and officials over the past few months. They have also organised a “referendum” in numerous places on the establishment of Khalistan.
The Indian side is still fuming over a demonstration float that glorified the killers of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Officials on both sides claim they have suspended negotiations on a free trade pact because of the strained bilateral ties. In 2022, bilateral trade in goods totaled US$10.5 billion, with US$6.4 billion coming from Indian exports. In 2021, bilateral commerce in services was worth US$5.88 billion. The total amount of money invested by Canadian pension funds in India exceeds US$55 billion.
About four percent of Canada’s population identifies as having Indian ancestry. Canada is home to one of the largest Indian diasporas, with about 1.6 million persons of Indian ancestry and another 700,000 non-resident Indians (NRIs). There are now 19 members of parliament (MPs) and three ministers in the present cabinet that trace their ancestry to India.
Trudeau’s minority government has been kept in office with the aid of the opposition New Democratic Party, which is led by Jagmeet Singh.
