‘Position unchanged’: New Zealand after Canada protests remarks on Hardeep Singh Nijjar

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, MarcH 14

The New Zealand government has clarified comments made by its Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Winston Peters in India on the Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder case after Canada lodged objections.

“New Zealand’s position on the allegations remains unchanged. If they are proven correct, then that would be of serious concern. The minister’s point is that this is an ongoing criminal investigation. It needs to run its course before clear conclusions can be drawn,” said John Tulloch, spokesperson for the Deputy PM.

In India, Peters had said there was no conclusive evidence or findings from the Canadian Government that validated the involvement of Indian agents in Khalistani terrorist Nijjar’s murder in Surrey in June last year.

Speaking here, Peters said, “Well, I wasn’t here, it was handled by the previous government. But sometimes when you’re hearing Five Eyes information, you’re hearing it and saying nothing. You don’t know the value or the quality of it, but you’re pleased to have it. As a trained lawyer, I look okay, so where’s the case? Where’s the evidence? Where’s the finding right here, right now? Well, there isn’t one.”