Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of creating a “large mistake” that Canada couldn’t ignore if Delhi was behind the demise of a Sikh separatist chief final 12 months on Canadian soil.
Trudeau made the feedback two days after Canadian officials blamed India of being concerned in murders, extortion and different violent acts towards Indian dissidents on Canadian soil.
After Canada raised the allegations on Monday, each nations expelled key envoys and diplomats, elevating already tense tensions.
India has rejected the allegations as “absurd” and accused Trudeau of pandering to Canada’s massive Sikh neighborhood for political acquire.
On Wednesday, India as soon as once more responded angrily and known as Trudeau’s habits “contemptuous.”
“Canada has not introduced us with any proof to assist the intense allegations it has chosen to make towards India and Indian diplomats,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal stated in a press release.
“Responsibility for the injury this contemptuous habits has brought about to India-Canada relations rests solely with Prime Minister Trudeau.”
In his remarks earlier than a public inquiry wanting into international interference in Canadian politics, Trudeau had criticized India’s response to the Hardeep Singh Nijjar homicide investigation in June 2023.
According to Trudeau, he was knowledgeable of the killing later that summer time and acquired info that made it “extremely clear” that India was concerned within the killing.
He stated Canada should take critically any alleged violations of its sovereignty and the worldwide rule of legislation.
Mr. Nijjar was shot and killed in Surrey, British Columbia. He had been a staunch supporter of the Khalistan motion, which requires a separate Sikh homeland, and had publicly campaigned on its behalf.
At the time, nonetheless, Canadian intelligence didn’t quantity to onerous proof or proof, Trudeau stated on the inquiry.
Police have since charged 4 Indian nationals in Mr Nijjar’s demise.
Trudeau stated he hoped to deal with the matter “responsibly” with out “blowing up” the bilateral relationship with a significant buying and selling accomplice, however that Indian officers have rejected Canada’s requests for help within the investigation.
“It was clear that the Indian authorities’s method was to criticize us and the integrity of our democracy,” he stated.
He made the allegations public shortly thereafter, saying that September that Canada had “credible allegations” linking Indian authorities brokers to the killing.
The prime minister on Wednesday additionally added extra particulars to extra prices launched this week by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The police pressure has taken the uncommon step of publicly disclosing details about a number of ongoing investigations “because of a major menace to public security” in Canada.
The RCMP stated Monday there have been “greater than a dozen credible and imminent threats to life” that targeted “particularly” on members of the pro-Khalistan motion.
According to the RCMP, subsequent investigations led police to uncover alleged felony actions orchestrated by Indian authorities brokers.
Trudeau stated legislation enforcement made the announcement with “the aim of breaking the chain of exercise that was leading to shootings, house invasions, violent extortion and even homicide” within the South Asian neighborhood throughout the Canada.
India has vehemently denied all of the allegations and maintained that Canada has not offered proof to assist its claims.
The RCMP and nationwide safety advisers traveled to Singapore final weekend to fulfill with Indian officers — a gathering that the RCMP says was not fruitful.
Following Monday’s allegations by Canadian officers, the United Kingdom and the United States urged India to cooperate with the Canadian authorized course of.
Britain’s Foreign Office stated in a press release Wednesday that it was in touch with Ottawa “on the intense developments outlined within the impartial investigations in Canada.”
The United Kingdom has full confidence within the Canadian justice system,” the assertion added.
“The Indian authorities’s cooperation with the Canadian authorized course of is the appropriate subsequent step.”
The United States, one other shut ally of Canada, has stated India isn’t cooperating with Canadian authorities because the White House had hoped.
“We have made it clear that the allegations are extraordinarily critical and should be taken critically and we need to see the Indian authorities cooperate with Canada in its investigation,” spokesman Matthew Miller stated at a U.S. State Department briefing on Tuesday.
“They clearly did not select that path.”
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated Ottawa was in shut contact with the Five Eyes intelligence alliance – which incorporates the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – on the difficulty.
