Trudeau accuses India of 'threatening, violent acts' amid diplomatic row
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed serious concerns over "India's actions in Canada," after a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) report. According to Trudeau, the RCMP possesses "clear and compelling evidence" of Indian government agents engaging in activities that pose a threat to public safety, including covert operations and coercion aimed at South Asian Canadians. These remarks have further intensified the diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
Why does this story matter?
This comes after India recalled its top envoy and expelled six Candian diplomats—including Acting High Commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler and Deputy High Commissioner Patrick Hebert. The diplomats, also including First Secretaries Marie Catherine Joly, Ian Ross David Trites, Adam James Chuipka, and Paula Orjuela, have been given five days to depart India, with the deadline set for 11:59pm on October 19. Earlier, Canada had expelled six Indian diplomats linked to the investigation of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder.
Trudeau flags 'lack of cooperation' from India
Trudeau said Canadian officials had made multiple attempts to collaborate with Indian authorities, but these efforts were rejected. "This is unacceptable," Trudeau said at a presser on Monday (local time), noting that the lack of cooperation from India had hindered further progress. "This is why...Canadian officials took an extraordinary step. They met with Indian officials to share RCMP evidence which concluded that six agents of the Government of India are persons of interest in criminal activities," he added.
Watch: Trudeau's statement here
'Did not cause diplomatic tension intentionally...': Trudeau
Trudeau also said that Canada did not intentionally cause the diplomatic tension. "This is not a choice that Canada made to create a chill in Canada-India relations," he said. Trudeau highlighted the significance of Canada's relationship with India, calling it a "country with which we have deep historical people-to-people business ties."
India dismisses Canada's allegations as 'preposterous'
In response to Canada's actions, New Delhi criticized the targeting of its diplomats as "persons of interest," labeling the allegations as "preposterous" and accusing Canada of using a "strategy of smearing India for political gains." India has maintained that the real issue lies in Canada's tolerance of pro-Khalistani elements, who, according to India, operate from Canadian soil without consequences.
Nijjar's murder case
Nijjar, who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen in 2015, had campaigned for a separate Sikh state called Khalistan. He was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar's murder, which occurred in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Vancouver in June 2023.
