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Relations between New Delhi and Ottawa remain frosty over Canada’s support for the Khalistani separatists and over false accusations Canada has levelled against India over the murder of a Khalistani separatist. (IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK)
The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar
A Canada-based Hindu outfit has slammed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as ties between Ottawa and New Delhi plunged over serious allegations made by the Canadian government against Indian diplomats.
Canada on Monday linked India’s high commissioner and other diplomats to the murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on its soil and accused New Delhi of a broader effort to target Indian dissidents in Canada.
The India-Canada diplomatic ties nosedived further on Tuesday with Ottawa hinting at possible sanctions against India in the wake of findings in the case and New Delhi forcefully trashing the allegations including those levelled by Trudeau.
‘Ongoing diplomatic stress’
“On behalf of over 1 million #CanadianHindus, Hindu Forum Canada is very distressed with our Canadian Government, political parties, policymakers, media and law enforcement agencies over ongoing diplomatic stress between India and Canada,” the Hindu outfit said in a post on X.
The organisation rebuked the Canadian government’s handling of the crisis, saying that the current issue has impacted the livelihood and safety of over 1.5 million Indo-Canadians. “Our government must address glorification of terrorism in the name of so-called free speech,” it added.
On behalf of over 1 million #CanadianHindus, Hindu Forum Canada is very distressed with our Canadian Government, political parties, policy makers, media and law enforcement agencies over ongoing diplomatic stress between India and Canada. The way, @CanadianPM @JustinTrudeau and…— HinduForumCanada #HFC (@canada_hindu) October 15, 2024
Earlier this week, the Canadian authorities also accused Indian agents of involvement in “homicides, extortion and violent acts” targeting pro-Khalistan supporters and even attempted to link the Bishnoi gang to unspecified criminal activities on Canadian soil.
As the ties between the two countries hit rock bottom, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly did not rule out imposing sanctions against India saying “everything is on the table”. On its part, India strongly rejected attempts by Canadian authorities to link Indian agents with criminal gangs in Canada with Indian officials even saying that Ottawa’s assertion that it shared evidence with New Delhi in the Nijjar case was simply not true.
Canada’s allegations
New Delhi has rejected Trudeau’s allegations that India was engaging in activities including carrying out covert operations targeting Canadian nationals in his country. At a press conference, Trudeau, pointing fingers at India on the Nijjar case, said Canada will never tolerate the involvement of a foreign government in threatening and killing Canadian citizens on Canadian soil.
On Monday, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced withdrawing its high commissioner from Canada after dismissing Ottawa’s allegations linking the envoy to a probe into the killing of Nijjar. Joly, replying to a question at Trudeau’s media briefing, did not rule out further action against India. “So today was a really important step. When you look at what is available in our toolbox, expelling diplomats is one of the highest and toughest measures a country can take under the Vienna convention…Everything is on the table,” she said.
The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar. New Delhi rejected Trudeau’s charges as “absurd”.
(With agency inputs)
