Justin Trudeau accuses India of ‘large mistake’ amid diplomatic row
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has 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 officers accused India of being concerned in homicides, extortions and different violent acts focusing on Indian dissidents on Canadian soil.
After Canada levelled the accusations on Monday, each international locations expelled high envoys and diplomats, ramping up already strained tensions.
India has rejected the allegations as “preposterous”, and accused Trudeau of pandering to Canada’s massive Sikh neighborhood for political achieve.
In his remarks on Wednesday earlier than a public inquiry wanting into overseas interference in Canadian politics, the prime minister criticised India’s response to the investigation into Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing in June 2023.
In keeping with Trudeau, he was briefed on the homicide later that summer time and obtained intelligence that made it “extremely clear” that India was concerned within the killing.
He stated Canada needed to take any alleged violation of its sovereignty and the worldwide rule of legislation critically.
Mr Nijjar was shot and killed in Surrey, British Columbia. He had been a vocal supporter of the Khalistan motion, which calls for a separate Sikh homeland, and publicly campaigned for it.
On the time, nevertheless, Canada’s intelligence didn’t quantity to onerous proof or proof, Trudeau instructed the inquiry.
Policed have since charged 4 Indian nationals over the Mr Nijjar’s demise.
He stated he had hoped to deal with the matter “in a accountable method” that did not “blow up” the bilateral relationship with a major commerce accomplice, however that Indian officers rebuffed Canada’s requests for help into the probe.
“It was clear that the Indian authorities’s method was to criticise us and the integrity of our democracy,” he stated.
Shortly after he made the allegations public, saying in that September that Canada had “credible allegations” linking Indian authorities brokers to the homicide.
The prime minister additionally added on Wednesday extra element to additional allegations launched this week by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The police drive took the uncommon step of publicly disclosing details about a number of ongoing investigations “as a consequence of important menace to public security” in Canada.
RCMP stated on Monday there had been “over a dozen credible and imminent threats to life” which “particularly” centered on members of the pro-Khalistan motion.
Subsequent investigations had led to police uncovering alleged felony exercise orchestrated by authorities of India brokers, based on the RCMP.
Trudeau stated the drive made the announcement with “a objective of disrupting the chain of actions that was leading to drive-by shootings, residence invasions, violent extortion and even homicide” within the South Asian neighborhood throughout Canada.
India has vehemently denied all allegations and maintained that Canada has offered no proof to assist its claims.
The RCMP and nationwide safety advisers travelled to Singapore final weekend to fulfill with Indian officers – a gathering the RCMP stated was not fruitful.
Following Monday’s allegations from Canadian officers, the UK and US urged India to co-operate with Canada’s authorized course of.
On Wednesday, the British Overseas Workplace stated in a press release that it’s involved with Ottawa “in regards to the severe developments outlined within the impartial investigations in Canada”.
The UK has full confidence in Canada’s judicial system,” the assertion added.
“The Authorities of India’s cooperation with Canada’s authorized course of is the fitting subsequent step.”
The US, one other shut Canadian ally, stated that India was not co-operating with Canadian authorities because the White Home had hoped it will.
“We’ve got made clear that the allegations are extraordinarily severe and so they should be taken critically and we wish to see the federal government of India co-operate with Canada in its investigation,” stated spokesperson Matthew Miller at a US State Division briefing on Tuesday.
“Clearly, they haven’t chosen that path.”
Canada’s overseas minister, Melanie Joly, has stated that Ottawa is in shut contact with the 5 Eyes intelligence alliance – comprising the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – on the matter.
