The Indian government has responded in kind and ordered the departure of a senior Canadian diplomat after Ottawa made accusations that New Delhi was involved in the murder of a Sikh activist in Canada.
“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,” says a Sept. 19 statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
The statement did not name the diplomat but said they would need to leave the country within the next five days. If it involves a tit-for-tat retaliation, the Canadian diplomat could have ties to the security apparatus.
Canada announced on Sept. 18 that it was expelling the head of India’s foreign intelligence service in Canada, Pavan Kumar Rai, who works for the Research and Analysis Wing.
The statement from External Affairs was accompanied by another release which responded to the allegations made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the day prior.
“Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated,” says the Indian ministry.
The statement repeated previous criticism that India has directed at Canada for not cracking down on the Sikh separatist movement in the country.
“That Canadian political figures have openly expressed sympathy for such elements remains a matter of deep concern,” the statement said.
Mr. Trudeau rose in the House of Commons on Sept. 18 to declare that 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.”
Mr. Nijjar, a Sikh independence activist and the president of a Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., was gunned down last June. An RCMP investigation is underway.
Mr. Nijjar was wanted by India on terrorism charges and took part in organizing a non-binding secession Sikh referendum. He had previously denied being involved in terrorist-related activities.
Strained Relations
The decision to accuse India publicly puts into context why relations have been particularly strained of late.Canadian officials said trade talks were being paused with India days before the prime minister travelled to the country for the G20 summit. The trip came at a pivotal time in the context of Ottawa seeking to strengthen ties as part of its Indo-Pacific Strategy.
There were also signs of tension between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Trudeau during the summit, with New Delhi releasing a terse statement after the two met for 15 minutes.
Mr. Trudeau says he had raised the issue of Nijjar’s killing with Mr. Modi at the time, which New Delhi has confirmed in its Sept. 19 statement.
The engagement on the issue was also made at other levels. Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc said on Sept. 18 that the National Security and Intelligence Advisor and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service director travelled to India a number of times in recent weeks to discuss with Indian officials.
‘Need to See the Facts’
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was asked about the situation on Sept. 19, but he didn’t take a stance on how Canada should deal with India.“We need to see the facts,” Mr. Poilievre told reporters in Ottawa in response to questions on whether Canada should impose sanctions on India.
On whether Canada needs to change its relationship with India, Mr. Poilievre said that the prime minister needs to “come clean with all the facts.”
“We need to know all the evidence possible so that Canadians can make judgments,” he said, adding that Mr. Trudeau has not provided facts but only a statement.
“And I will just emphasize that he didn’t tell me any more in private than he told Canadians in public. So we want to see more information.”
Treasury Board President Anita Anand, whose parents originate from India, said on Sept. 19 that it had been “difficult” to hear Mr. Trudeau make his announcement the day prior, “especially for families who come from India.”
She said the legal process should continue its course and that people need to be empathetic, “because this is a time that families who come from India, regardless of religion, are going to find it difficult.”
Immigration Minister Marc Miller also commented outside the Liberal cabinet meeting, and he clarified that Mr. Nijjar became a Canadian citizen in 2015.
“There was some disinformation, misinformation going around social media in particular, various circles” that he wasn’t Canadian, he said. “No one should, regardless of their nationality, be killed on Canadian soil.”
