In the midst of escalating diplomatic tensions, Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma has made controversial assertions regarding the relationship between the Canadian government and Khalistani extremists. Verma’s comments come in the wake of allegations from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Indian agents were involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist.
Allegations Against Khalistani Extremists
In an interview with CTV News, Verma stated that Khalistani extremists and terrorists are “deep assets” of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). He accused the Trudeau administration of consistently supporting these individuals, asserting, “This is my allegation, I also know that some of these Khalistani extremists and terrorists are deep assets of CSIS, again I’m not giving any evidence.”
The Canadian government has claimed that Indian agents were implicated in Nijjar’s murder, a statement that India has described as “absurd.” Furthermore, India has called for concrete evidence to substantiate Canada’s allegations. Last week, Trudeau mentioned in an inquiry that the government’s claims were based on intelligence rather than definitive evidence.
Diplomatic Concerns and Sovereignty
Verma urged the Canadian government to recognize India’s core concerns regarding national sovereignty. He stated, “We only want the Canadian regime of the day, the government of the day, to understand my core concerns sincerely rather than being bedfellows with those who are trying to challenge Indian sovereignty and territorial integrity.” He emphasized that Khalistani extremists, who are Canadian citizens, pose a challenge to the sovereignty of India.
“What happens in India will be decided by Indian citizens. These Khalistani extremists are not Indian citizens; they are Canadian citizens, and no country should allow its citizens to challenge the sovereignty of another nation,” Verma asserted.
Denial of Involvement in Nijjar’s Murder
Verma firmly denied all accusations related to the Nijjar murder, labeling them as “politically motivated” and insisting, “No evidence presented.” He rejected claims that he directed or coerced individuals to collect information on pro-Khalistani activists, including Nijjar. “I, as High Commissioner of India, had never done anything of that kind,” he maintained.
He clarified that monitoring pro-Khalistani elements in Canada is a matter of national interest for India. Verma explained that his team gathers information through publicly available sources, stating, “We read the newspapers, we read their statements since we understand Punjabi, so we read their social media posts and try to infer from there.”
Deteriorating India-Canada Relations
The diplomatic relationship between India and Canada has significantly deteriorated following the Trudeau government’s communication asserting that Indian diplomats were persons of interest in the Nijjar murder investigation. India has dismissed these allegations and subsequently recalled its senior diplomats. In response to the ongoing tensions, New Delhi expelled six Canadian diplomats.
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