Canada Seeks Proper Response from India on Alleged Link to Sikh Leader’s Murder
OTTAWA, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau clarified on Tuesday that Canada is not trying to provoke India with accusations of its involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader. Instead, Trudeau emphasized the importance of addressing the issue properly.
Trudeau announced on Monday that Canadian intelligence agencies were actively investigating credible allegations linking agents from New Delhi to the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, in British Columbia in June. This incident marked a rare attack on India, the world’s largest democracy.
India quickly dismissed the assertion as absurd and promptly expelled a Canadian diplomat, further straining diplomatic relations between the two G20 members. In response to India’s denial, Trudeau faced pressure from the Conservative opposition to publicly disclose the evidence regarding the allegations.
Trudeau explained that the decision to speak out now was based on the need to understand the situation thoroughly and to consult with allies. He emphasized that the case had significant implications in international law.
“The government of India needs to take this matter with the utmost seriousness. We are doing that; we are not looking to provoke or escalate,” Trudeau stated.
The controversy has disrupted ongoing discussions on a potential trade deal between Canada and India. According to an anonymous source familiar with the situation, Canada’s decision to pause talks on September 1 and postpone a major trade mission set for next month were directly linked to concerns over Nijjar’s murder.
Canadian officials have refrained from disclosing the supporting evidence for the allegations against India. However, a senior Canadian government source, who wished to remain anonymous, assured that the evidence would be shared in due course.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre expressed skepticism over Trudeau’s claim, stating, “The prime minister hasn’t provided any facts. We need to have the evidence that allowed the prime minister to come to the conclusions yesterday.”
Canada has been closely cooperating with the United States, including Trudeau’s statement on Monday expressing concerns over the killing, according to a government source.
Following Trudeau’s remarks, Balraj Nijjar, the son of the slain Sikh separatist leader, stated that he had always suspected India’s involvement in the murder. Sikh and Muslim organizations welcomed Trudeau’s comments and called for swift action to protect Sikhs in Canada and prevent Indian nationals with ties to intelligence or human rights abuses from entering the country.
India has long expressed discontent with Sikh separatist activities in Canada. Hardeep Singh Nijjar espoused the creation of Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland, in Punjab, India’s northern state and the birthplace of the Sikh religion. India designated him as a “terrorist” in 2020.
Canada has the largest Sikh population outside of Punjab, with approximately 770,000 individuals identifying as Sikhs in the 2021 census.
While the United States and Australia expressed “deep concern” over Canada’s accusations, the United States authorities urged India to cooperate with the investigation. Canada and India have been working towards increasing bilateral trade, which currently stands at just C$13.7 billion ($10.2 billion) out of Canada’s total of C$1.52 trillion in 2022. However, both sides have now frozen the trade talks.
In contrast, Britain announced that it would continue trade discussions with India despite the allegations.
($1 = 1.3415 Canadian dollars)
Reporting by David Ljunggren and Steve Scherer; additional reporting by Susan Heavey; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Marguerita Choy