In a significant development, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused individuals associated with the Indian government of orchestrating the assassination of a prominent Sikh community leader in British Columbia back in June. This assertion, made on Monday, has the potential to further strain the already delicate relations between the two nations.
Addressing the House of Commons, Mr. Trudeau disclosed that he had directly confronted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding India’s alleged involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar during their recent meeting at the Group of 20 summit. He emphasised that this claim was based on intelligence information collected by the Canadian government.
Mr. Trudeau stated firmly, “Any implication of a foreign government in the homicide of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil constitutes an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.” He further pledged that Canada would exert pressure on India to cooperate fully with the investigation into Mr. Nijjar’s assassination. The deceased Sikh leader was known for advocating Sikh separatism.
Following this revelation, Mélanie Joly, the Canadian Foreign Minister, announced the expulsion of an Indian diplomat, identifying them as the head of India’s intelligence agency in Canada.
In response, India’s foreign ministry rejected these allegations from Canada on Tuesday morning, deeming them “absurd” and politically motivated. The ministry argued that Canada has long provided shelter to “Khalistani terrorists and extremists,” who pose a threat to India’s security.
Furthermore, the Indian ministry asserted that Prime Minister Modi had unequivocally denied these allegations during his discussions with Mr. Trudeau. It urged the Canadian government to take swift and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from within its borders.
Subsequently, India responded by taking steps to expel a senior Canadian diplomat posted in India. The assertion of Indian government involvement in a political assassination on Canadian soil is expected to further deteriorate relations between the two nations.
Earlier this month, Canada suspended ongoing negotiations for a trade agreement with India, initially slated for conclusion this year, likely in response to the allegations surrounding the assassination. During the G20 summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi notably excluded Mr. Trudeau from his list of leaders with whom he held formal bilateral meetings.
Prime Minister Trudeau acknowledged that many Canadians of Indian origin, constituting approximately 4 percent of the population, expressed outrage over the killing and, in some cases, concerns about their personal safety.
The Canadian population includes about 1.4 million individuals of Indian heritage, including a significant Sikh community. Among them is Jagmeet Singh, leader of the opposition New Democratic Party, which supports Mr. Trudeau’s minority government.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was shot near a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. In a June news conference, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigators revealed that he had been ambushed by masked assailants, though they did not confirm whether the attack had a political motive.
Citing the ongoing police investigation, neither Ms. Joly nor Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister of Public Safety, provided specific details regarding India’s alleged involvement in the assassination. However, Mr. LeBlanc disclosed that Jody Thomas, Mr. Trudeau’s national security adviser, and the head of Canada’s intelligence service had travelled recently “to confront the Indian intelligence agencies with these allegations.”
The extent of cooperation or disclosure from the Indian government remains unclear based on the statements made by the two ministers.
Ms. Joly expressed her intention to discuss India’s actions with Canada’s allies during her visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly this week.
This announcement coincided with the commencement of a public inquiry into foreign government interference in Canadian affairs. The inquiry was prompted by allegations of Chinese meddling in Canadian politics, but Mr. LeBlanc noted that reviewing India’s actions falls within the inquiry’s scope, emphasising the seriousness of these allegations.
Mr. Nijjar had previously voiced concerns about threats to his life, which had been reported to Canada’s intelligence agency. The World Sikh Organisation of Canada, a nonprofit, issued a statement confirming this.
Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party, remarked, “If these allegations are true, they represent an outrageous affront to Canada’s sovereignty. Our citizens must be safe from extrajudicial killings of all kinds, most of all from foreign governments.”
Mr. Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party, deviated from protocol to address the House of Commons in both Punjabi and English. He revealed that he had spoken with Mr. Nijjar’s son and expressed the pain of his loss.
Mr. Singh also mentioned that rumours of potential retribution by India against critics of its government had instilled fear within the Sikh expatriate community, discouraging many from returning to India. Canada, he stated, had previously been seen as “a beacon of safety,” but this sense of security had now been shaken.
