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India is withdrawing its excessive commissioner to Canada after it mentioned he and different diplomats had been named as “individuals of curiosity” within the homicide investigation of a Sikh separatist.
India mentioned it obtained the information in a diplomatic communication from Canada on Sunday, and reserved the suitable to reply, stressing it “strongly rejects these preposterous imputations”.
The assertion refers to allegations final yr by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that India’s authorities could have been behind the killing on Canadian soil, an allegation Delhi rejects.
The row led to a deterioration in ties, with India asking Canada to withdraw dozens of its diplomatic employees and suspending visa providers.
On Monday, a livid assertion from India’s overseas ministry mentioned Canada’s allegations had been a part of Trudeau’s “political agenda” and warned of motion, with out specifying what it will be.
“India now reserves the suitable to take additional steps in response to those newest efforts of the Canadian authorities to concoct allegations in opposition to Indian diplomats,” it mentioned.
Delhi additionally defended its Excessive Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, referring to his “distinguished profession spanning 36 years”.
“The aspersions solid on him by the federal government of Canada are ludicrous and need to be handled with contempt,” it mentioned.
There was no fast Canadian response to Delhi’s assertion. The nation’s deputy head of mission in Delhi, Stuart Wheeler, was summoned by India’s Exterior Affairs Ministry to elucidate Canada’s transfer.
“He was knowledgeable that the baseless concentrating on of the Indian excessive commissioner and different diplomats and officers in Canada was utterly unacceptable,” a ministry assertion mentioned.
“Now we have no religion within the present Canadian authorities’s dedication to make sure their safety. Due to this fact, the federal government of India has determined to withdraw the Excessive Commissioner and different focused diplomats and officers.”
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot and killed in June 2023 by two masked gunmen outdoors a Sikh temple he led in Surrey, British Columbia.
He had been a vocal supporter of the Khalistan motion, which calls for a separate Sikh homeland, and publicly campaigned for it.
India has up to now described him as a terrorist who led a militant separatist group – accusations his supporters referred to as unfounded.
Canadian police referred to as his killing a “focused assault”.
In September 2023, Trudeau had advised Canada’s parliament that allegations of Indian involvement within the killing had been primarily based on Canadian intelligence.
He referred to as the act a violation of Canada’s sovereignty.
India has vehemently denied all allegations and maintained that Canada has supplied no proof to assist its claims.
Frosty ties between the 2 international locations appeared to have thawed barely after India resumed processing visas in October 2023.
However final week, Canadian International Minister Mélanie Joly referred to as the nation’s relations with India “tense” and “very troublesome”.
She additionally mentioned there remained a risk of extra killings like Nijjar’s on Canadian soil.
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