Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced the deportation of a senior Indian diplomat after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the New Delhi government was behind Nijjar’s murder. Joly stated that he expects India’s “full cooperation” in the investigation of the incident and stated that Trudeau discussed the issue with US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The expelled Indian diplomat was allegedly identified as Pavan Kumar Rai, the Canadian Head of New Delhi’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s foreign intelligence agency. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc stated in his statement that the National Security Advisor and the Head of the Canadian Intelligence Service went to India to discuss the allegations with their counterparts.
THE INDIA FRONT CONSIDERED THE CLAIMS AS ‘NONSPIRATION’ AND ‘PURPOSEFUL’
In the written statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, Trudeau’s statements were described as “absurd and purposeful” and the Canadian government was called on to “take rapid and effective legal steps against all anti-India elements operating on its territory”.
In the statement, it was emphasized that similar allegations were made by Trudeau to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and were rejected, and it was noted that India is “a democratic state committed to the rule of law”.
The statement stated that “such false allegations attempt to distract attention on Khalistan terrorists and extremists who have been provided accommodation in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” adding that the Canadian government’s inaction on this issue is a “long-standing concern.” It was stated that it was the source.
India also announced that it decided to deport a Canadian diplomat in retaliation and that the diplomat had 5 days to leave the country.
USA: WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS
White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson, in her statement to AA correspondent, noted that the USA was “deeply concerned” by the allegations.
Stating that they are in regular contact with Canada, Watson emphasized that it is “critically important” for the investigation to progress and the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
THE KILLING OF NIJJAR AND TRUDEAU’S CLAIMS
Nijjar, the director of the separatist Sikh organization KLF, who was included in the list of 40 terrorist names published by India, was shot and killed in Canada on June 18.
In his statement yesterday, Trudeau claimed that the New Delhi government was behind Nijjar’s murder.
Nijjar, who was wanted by the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) for killing a Hindu cleric in Jalandhar city of Punjab in 2022, was also facing charges against the Indian state, such as training KLF members, providing financial support, conspiracy, and inciting the public to hatred and hostility.
HALISATAN LIBERATION FORCE
Adopting the idea of Khalistan, which means “Sikh country”, the organization has been carrying out attacks on military and diplomatic targets in India since 1987, and is known for kidnapping Liviu Radu, Romania’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi.
Although India claims that the organization is supported by Pakistan and receives arms aid from Pakistan, it is known that the organization collects donations from the Sikh diaspora in England, Spain and Malaysia.
Apart from India’s Punjab state, the organization also sees all or part of Pakistan’s Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Baluchistan and Kashmir regions as Khalistan.
KLF is designated as a “terrorist organisation” by India. (AA)