India rejects Canada's big charge on Sikh activist Nijjar killing

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, September 19

India on Tuesday termed Canada's allegations that Indian government agents were linked to the murder of a Sikh activist in the country "absurd and motivated".

We will not allow India or any other nation to interfere in our democracy.

The involvement of any foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is a grave violation of our sovereignty. pic.twitter.com/nBTAshuzpL

— Harjit Sajjan (@HarjitSajjan) September 18, 2023

India's reaction came after Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging that the Indian government may have had links to the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in that country.

Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.

Nijjar supported a Sikh homeland in the form of an independent Khalistani state and had been branded by India as a "terrorist", the Canadian Broadcasting Corp said.

"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 Government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated. Similar, allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister, and were completely rejected. We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law. Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern. That Canadian political figures have openly expressed sympathy for such elements remains a matter of deep concern.

"The space given in Canada to a range of illegal activities including murders, human trafficking and organised crime is not new. We reject any attempts to connect the Government of India to such developments. We urge the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil," read a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. 

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