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Canada has expelled a senior Indian intelligence official obeying convincing proof that Indian government agents were involved in the murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar this year in British Columbia.
According to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau- Any foreign government interfering in the killing of a Canadian citizen is an "unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,". On June 18, Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. He was a strong supporter of an independent Khalistani state, which India labeled "terrorist."
"Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing serious allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar," Trudeau said in an emergency statement to the House of Commons. He went on to say that during the G20 summit, he personally raised these concerns with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly confirmed the removal of India's intelligence chief in Canada but gave no further details.
Canada has the largest Sikh population outside of Punjab, India, and has been the site of numerous protest rallies that have stressed relations between the two countries. India quickly dismissed Canada's allegations as "absurd and motivated," claiming that similar claims had been rejected during talks between the two leaders.
This incident magnifies ongoing tensions between Canada and India, which include trade disputes, diplomatic clashes over Sikh separatism, and recent anti-India protests in Canada. The situation remains delicate as both countries wrestle with the complexities of their bilateral relationship, which is valued at $100 billion in commercial relations and includes significant Canadian portfolio investments in India.
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