Addressing the deteriorating ties with Canada over Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, October 17, said that shifting the blame to India "does not work in any manner."
Canada PM Justin Trudeau on Wednesday acknowledged that he had only intelligence and no "hard evidentiary proof" when he alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.
Addressing the deteriorating ties with Canada over Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, October 17, said that shifting the blame to India "does not work in any manner."
In its weekly presser, the Ministry of External Affairs took responded to questions on the India-Canada diplomatic row and said Canada has still not given evidence, adding that a "pattern" which is motivated by the political agenda of the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's administration can be seen.
Justin Trudeau on Wednesday acknowledged that he had only intelligence and no "hard evidentiary proof" when he alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.
India has strongly rejected attempts by the Canadian authorities to link Indian agents with criminal gangs in Canada with official sources in New Delhi even saying that Ottawa's assertion that it shared evidence with New Delhi in the Nijjar case was simply not true.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Monday said it has evidence that six Indian diplomats were involved in the alleged plot to murder Nijjar in June 2023. The RCMP also alleged that the Bishnoi gang is connected to the agents of the Indian government, which is targeting the South Asian community specifically "pro-Khalistani elements" in the country.
The above-mentioned allegations led to tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions from both India and Canada on Monday. India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced withdrawing its high commissioner from Canada after dismissing Ottawa's allegations linking the envoy to a probe into the killing of Nijjar. Later, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, who MEA on Thursday claimed were withdrawn by India before their expulsion was ordered.
The MEA on Thursday also said that economic ties are strong and vibrant between India and Canada and there's a strong Indian diaspora in that country.
Citing strong people to people links, the largest cohort of international students in Canada, MEA said Canada is a major beneficiary of the strong linkages.
The external affairs ministry said "it is strange that the people we [India] requested for extradition or action be taken, have been connected to the Indian government.
"This is an allegation and contradiction which we do not understand."
Twenty-six requests pending from Canadian side over the last decade or more, the MEA said, adding that provisional arrest requests are also pending of Gurjit Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Lakhbeer Singh Landa, Arshdeep Singh Gill - all of whom are wanted in terror charges in India.
"We have shared security-related info with the Canadian government regarding gang members including those from [Lawrence] Bishnoi gang and requested them to arrest them or take due action as per law. So far, no action has been taken by Canada on India's request. It is strange that the people we requested for extradition or action be taken, have been connected to the Indian government. This is an allegation and contradiction which we do not understand," MEA said.
Shifting the blame to India does not work in any manner... Canada has still not given evidence. We can also see a pattern, which is motivated by the political agenda of the Trudeau administration...Also, a clear pattern to smear India," the MEA added.
India has maintained that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year.