India withdrew its high commissioner to Canada after saying he and other diplomats were named “persons of interest” in an investigation into the murder of a Sikh separatist.
India said it received the news from Canada in a diplomatic communication on Sunday and reserved the right to respond, stressing that it “strongly rejects these ridiculous accusations”.
This statement refers to accusation Last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Indian government may be behind killings in Canada, a charge that Delhi has denied.
This quarrel resulted in relationship deterioratesIndia asked Canada to withdraw dozens of diplomats, Suspension of visa services.
On Monday, India’s foreign ministry issued an angry statement, calling Canada’s accusations part of Trudeau’s “political agenda” and warning of action, without specifying what it would be.
“India now reserves the right to take further steps in response to the latest move by the Canadian government to fabricate allegations against Indian diplomats,” the statement read.
Delhi also defended its high commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma for his “distinguished career of 36 years”.
“The Canadian government’s slander against him is ridiculous and should be treated with contempt,” the statement said.
There was no immediate response from Canada to Delhi’s statement. India’s foreign ministry summoned Stuart Wheeler, the country’s deputy chief of mission in Delhi, to explain Canada’s move.
“He was informed that baseless attacks against the Indian High Commissioner and other Canadian diplomats and officials were completely unacceptable,” the ministry said in a statement.
“We have no confidence in the commitment of the current Canadian government to ensure its security. Therefore, the Indian government has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials.”
Hardeep Singh Nijar He was shot and killed by two masked gunmen in June 2023 outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia.
He has been an outspoken supporter of the Khalistani movement, which demands a separate Sikh homeland, and has publicly campaigned for it.
India has in the past described him as a terrorist who leads a militant separatist group, but his supporters have called the accusations baseless.
Canadian police called his killing a “targeted attack.”
In September 2023, Trudeau told the Canadian Parliament that allegations of Indian involvement in the killings were based on Canadian intelligence.
He said the move violated Canada’s sovereignty.
India strongly denies all accusations and insists Canada has provided no evidence to support its claims.
After the India incident, the icy relationship between the two countries seems to have thawed slightly Recovery processing Visa in October 2023.
But last week, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly called the country’s relationship with India “strained” and “very difficult.”
She also said there is still a threat of more killings like Nijjar’s in Canada.
