Angry India accuses Canada of ‘preposterous’ investigation

On Monday, India’s foreign ministry said Canada’s allegations were part of Trudeau’s “political agenda” and warned of action, without specifying what it would be.

“India now reserves the right to take further steps in response to these latest efforts of the Canadian Government to concoct allegations against Indian diplomats,” it said.

Delhi also defended its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, referring to his “distinguished career spanning 36 years”.

“The aspersions cast on him by the Government of Canada are ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt,” it said.

There was no immediate Canadian response to Delhi’s statement.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot and killed in June 2023 by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple he led in Surrey, British Columbia.

He had been a vocal supporter of the Khalistan movement, which demands a separate Sikh homeland, and publicly campaigned for it.

India has in the past described him as a terrorist who led a militant separatist group – accusations his supporters called unfounded.

Canadian police called his killing a “targeted attack”.

In September 2023, Trudeau had told Canada’s parliament that allegations of Indian involvement in the killing were based on Canadian intelligence.

He called the act a violation of Canada’s sovereignty.

India has vehemently denied all allegations and maintained that Canada has provided no evidence to support its claims.

Frosty ties between the two countries seemed to have thawed slightly after India resumed processing visas in October 2023.

But last week, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly called the country’s relations with India “tense” and “very difficult”.

She also said there remained a threat of more killings like Nijjar’s on Canadian soil.