New Delhi, Sept 19: The Indian government has strongly rejected allegations made by the Canadian government concerning India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey. India has labeled Canada’s charges as “absurd and motivated” and emphasized its commitment to the rule of law.
A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of the Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had earlier mentioned that the country’s security agencies were investigating a potential link between the Indian government and Nijjar’s killing. Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey by two unidentified assailants on June 18, 2023. Trudeau stated that he had raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit.
India rejects allegations by Canada:https://t.co/KDzCczWNN2 pic.twitter.com/VSDxbefWLw
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) September 19, 2023
However, India firmly refuted these allegations, saying that similar charges were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to the Indian Prime Minister and were categorically rejected. The MEA statement emphasized that India is a democratic nation with a strong commitment to the rule of law.
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India also argued that such baseless allegations aim to divert attention from Khalistani terrorists and extremists who have found refuge in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Indian government expressed concern over Canada’s longstanding failure to address the issue of Khalistani terrorists operating from its territory.
The statement further noted that Canadian political figures openly expressing sympathy for these elements remain a matter of deep concern. India rejected any attempts to link the Indian government to such developments and called on the Canadian government to take swift and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from its soil.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the former Chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), had moved to Canada in the late 1990s. He was designated as a terrorist by India in 2020. Following Trudeau’s speech in the House of Commons, Canada expelled an Indian diplomat from the country.
