Canada has expelled an Indian diplomat after the country’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that alleged links between Indian government agents and killing of Khalistani separatist activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was a Canadian citizen, earlier this year, is under investigation.
According to Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly the expelled Indian diplomat is the head of the Indian intelligence in Canada.
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“If proven true, this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other,” Joly was quoted as saying by AP.
“As a consequence we have expelled a top Indian diplomat,” Joly added.
Earlier, while speaking at the House of Commons, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said: “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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“Canada has declared its deep concerns to the top intelligence security officials of the Indian government. Last week, at the G20, I brought them personally and directly to Prime Minister Modi in no uncertain terms,” the Canadian Prime Minister said.
Trudeau further urged the Indian government to “cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter” and reiterate its stand on “extra-judicial operations” in another country.
Earlier during the G20 summit in New Delhi, Indian PM Narendra Modi had expressed his concerns to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau over alleged “anti-India activities” by “extremist elements” in Canada.
“He (Prime Minister Modi) conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship,” the Indian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh leader Indian agents allegedly killed?
On June 18 this year, Hardeep Singh Nijjar (45) was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds inside a car outside a Gurdwara in Canada.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau informed that authorities are investigating alleged links between the murder and agents of the Indian government.
The Canadian security intelligence service had, prior to June 18, also told Nijjar they had information that he was “under threat from professional assassins”.
Nijjar had moved to Canada in February 1997 and was a prominent pro-Khalistan figure.
However, he was wanted by the Indian government for allegedly being a “mastermind/active member” of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
KTF has been designated by the Indian government as a terrorist group.
Nijjar ran a plumbing business in Surrey, British Columbia, and rose to become a prominent advocate for the creation of Khalistan — a separate Sikh nation.
He travelled around the world and called for a referendum on Khalistan.
In 2014, a few months after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India, the Indian authorities issued an arrest warrant for Nijjar.
New Delhi described Nijjar as the ‘mastermind’ of the militant group Khalistan Tiger Force.
He was accused of being involved in the 2007 bombing of a cinema in Punjab.
A 2016 Interpol notice against him alleged he was a “key conspirator” in the attack.
He was accused of recruiting and fundraising, a charge that Nijjar vehemently denied.
After Nijjar was shot dead, his supporters protested outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver.
“This act of violence was predictable and was foreseen. It is unacceptable for us,” Jatinder Singh Grewal, director of Sikhs for Justice, said.