New Delhi: India on Tuesday (September 19) rejected the allegations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly who blamed India for the "killing" of Canadian citizen and pro-Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Ministry Of External Affairs, India, reacted to the allegations made by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau in the House of Commons that "agents of India" were involved in the killing of pro-Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Gujjar, who was shot dead in Canada's British Columbia in June this year, outside a Gurdwara.
"India rejects allegations by Canada," the MEA statement read. "We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of Government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated. We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law," the statement read.
Read the full statement below.
Indian diplomat expelled
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly also issued a detailed statement on the matter and said that Canada will "not tolerate any form of foreign interference" and that she had communicated it to her Indian counterpart as well. She then went on to add that Canada had expelled an Indian diplomat in connection with the matter.
India-Canada Relations
India's strong reply followed by the suspension of a senior Canadian diplomat in what was a tit-for-tat move by New Delhi in response to Canada Foreign Minister announcing that Canada had expelled an Indian diplomat from their land. The timing of the comments made by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, coming just days after the G20 Summit, also led to questions being raised by geopolitical experts.
