India Open to Looking into Canada’s Information on Sikh Separatist Killing: Foreign Minister
Sept 26 (Reuters) – In response to allegations of Indian agents being linked to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stated on Tuesday that India has told Canada it is open to looking into any “specific” or “relevant” information provided by Canada.
Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed to have credible intelligence linking Indian agents to the murder, which initially sparked anger from New Delhi, as they deny the allegation.
Jaishankar addressed the allegations at a Council on Foreign Relations event in New York, where he explained India’s response in diplomatic engagements.
“We told the Canadians that this is not the government of India’s policy,” Jaishankar said. “We also told the Canadians that if they have something specific, if they have something relevant, let us know – we are open to looking at it.”
In response to these allegations, India recently suspended new visas for Canadians and requested Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country, citing a deteriorating security environment.
Jaishankar also revealed that India has been pressuring Canada regarding its claims that organized criminals, including separatists like Nijjar, are based in Canada. He mentioned that India has made numerous extradition requests.
However, Jaishankar emphasized that the context is crucial, stating, “You also have to appreciate that in the last few years, Canada actually has seen a lot of organized crime, relating to the secessionist forces, organized crime, violence, extremism – they’re all very deeply mixed up.”
Concerns have been expressed by Canada’s allies, including the United States, who have urged India to cooperate with Canada’s investigation. The U.S. ambassador to Canada revealed that some information on the case was gathered by the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
Reporting by Simon Lewis and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Leslie Adler and Timothy Gardner