Toronto, Canada, Oct 15 (EFE).- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the evidence linking Indian officials to the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil as “clear and compelling.”
The statement came shortly after Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, including the ambassador, over what Trudeau termed “unacceptable” actions.
At a news conference in Ottawa on Monday evening, following India’s response of expelling the Canadian ambassador and five other diplomats, Trudeau accused Indian authorities of making a “fundamental error” in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“I think it is obvious the government of India made a fundamental error in thinking they could engage in supporting criminal activity against Canadians, here on Canadian soil. Whether it be murders or extortion or other violent acts, it is absolutely unacceptable,” Trudeau said.
“We will never tolerate the involvement of a foreign government threatening and killing Canadian citizens on Canadian soil, a deeply unacceptable violation of Canada’s sovereignty and of international law.”
The expulsion of Indian ambassador Sanjay Kumar Verma and five other diplomats was announced on Monday after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accused them of connections to a campaign involving murder, extortion, and other violent acts in Canada.
Nijjar, 45, was shot on June 18, 2023, by unknown assailants in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Canada.
The activist, a Canadian citizen, had been charged with terrorism by Indian authorities for advocating the establishment of an independent Khalistan for the Sikh minority in the northern Indian state of Punjab.
In a statement, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly justified the expulsion of the diplomats by the evidence collected by the RCMP and India’s refusal to cooperate in the investigation into Nijjar’s murder.
In September 2023, Trudeau formally accused Indian authorities of being linked to Nijjar’s killing. The Indian government denied the allegations and retaliated by revoking the immunity of 41 Canadian diplomats in India.
The RCMP established a unit in February 2024 to investigate violence against members of the Sikh community in Canada.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme said “an extraordinary situation” had compelled the Canadian government to speak about “what we have discovered in our multiple ongoing investigations into the involvement of agents of the government of India in serious criminal activity in Canada.”
He said it was “not our normal process” to publicly disclose information about ongoing investigations.
“However, we feel it is necessary to do so at this time due to the significant threat to public safety in our country.” EFE
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