Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed India's position regarding the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, rejecting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claims of potential involvement by Indian agents in the murder. In response to Trudeau's allegations, Shah, speaking at a news channel conclave, questioned the presence of terrorists wanted in India on Canadian soil and emphasized India's denial of the accusations, according to media reports.
The strained relations between India and Canada escalated when Trudeau made the allegations on September 18, prompting India to temporarily suspend visa issuance to Canadian citizens. The suspension was lifted last month after a hiatus of over a month. India dismissed Trudeau's claims as "absurd" and having a "motivated" agenda.
Trudeau, in a recent year-end interview, defended his decision to publicly announce the allegations, citing the expectation of leaked information through the media. He described the statement as an "extra level of deterrence" to enhance Canadian safety. Trudeau revealed engaging in weeks of "quiet diplomacy" before making the public announcement, expressing concern for the vulnerability of Canadians.
The Canadian Prime Minister highlighted that Canada had warned India about the eventual revelation of information and intended to share evidence in due course. He drew parallels with the U.S. approach, emphasizing the need for India to demonstrate leadership on the world stage, particularly during the G20 summit.
However, India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, informed the Rajya Sabha that Canada had not shared any specific evidence or inputs related to the case.
