Extrajudicial killings abroad not GoI's policy: Jaishankar on Nijjar's murder

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, September 27

Speaking specifically and directly on the India-Canada row for the first time, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said New Delhi had told Ottawa regarding Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing that conducting extrajudicial killings abroad was not the Government of India’s policy.

Editorial: India talks tough

“If you have something specific and relevant, let us know. We are open to looking at it. This (killing) is not the Government of India’s policy,” he said even as the US and Canada continue to seek India’s co-operation in the ongoing probe into Nijjar’s murder.

“The picture isn’t complete without the context in a way. You also have to appreciate that in the last few years, Canada actually has seen a lot of organised crime relating to the secessionist forces, violence and extremism. They are all very, very deeply mixed up,” said Jaishankar at a think-tank event after delivering his speech at the UN General Assembly.

He also said India had given the Canadians “a lot of information about organised crime and leadership operating out of Canada”. “There are a large number of extradition requests. There are terrorist leaders who have been identified…. Our concern is that it’s really been very permissive because of political reasons. So we have a situation where our diplomats are threatened and our consulates have been attacked,” he said.

A lot of this, he said, was often justified by saying that’s how democracies worked. “If somebody gives me something specific, it doesn’t have to be restricted to Canada. But if there’s any incident which is an issue and somebody gives me something specific as a government, I would look at it,” he reiterated.

Room for diplomacy, says Canadian envoy

• Canada’s Ambassador to UN Bob Rae has said it’s important that both sides keep working together
• Bob said this after meeting his Indian counterpart Ruchira Kamboj at the UNGA event
• “Canadians need to understand there’s a lot of connecting we need to do and a lot of mutual respect that we need to achieve,” said Bob

Attacks on consulates can’t be democracy

There are a number of extradition requests… terrorists have been identified…. We have a situation where our diplomats are threatened and consulates attacked. This is often justified saying that’s how democracies work. — S Jaishankar, EAM