Amid growing tensions between India and Canada, recent developments have cast doubt on Canada’s accusations of Indian government involvement in criminal activities, including the killing of pro-Khalistani Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Senior Canadian officials, including the Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, Nathalie G. Drouin, have clarified that there is no evidence implicating Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, or National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in any such alleged activities.
“On October 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the Government of India,” the statement read.
“The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate.”
Last month, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) issued a statement in English and Punjabi, alleging “serious criminal activity” by Indian agents in Canada. However, these claims now appear unsupported by evidence.
“There is a violent extremism threat in Canada that Canada and India have been working on over the years.”
“Investigations have revealed that Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada leveraged their official positions to engage in clandestine activities, such as collecting information for the Government of India, either directly or through their proxies; and other individuals who acted voluntarily or through coercion,” it added.
In rush to score points at home, based on RCMP’s briefing, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a fiery statement once again accusing agents of the Indian government of engaging in violent criminal activity on Canadian soil, including the murder of “Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.”
Trudeau called the alleged actions “a deeply unacceptable violation of Canada’s sovereignty and international law.” He announced the deportation of six Indian officials identified as “persons of interest” in the case, stating:
“They must leave Canada. They will no longer be able to act as diplomats in Canada, nor re-enter Canada, for whatever reason.”
Since last year, India has consistently denied the allegations, terming them “absurd” and politically motivated, while criticising Canada for allowing pro-Khalistan extremism to thrive.
In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar has said that it is important that extremists are held in check, as no country has a stronger commitment to freedom than India.
In a strong statement, Dr Shahshi Tharoor also weighed in on the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic rift, urging Canada to approach matters with caution and a deeper understanding of India’s security concerns.
“The original sin here is Canada’s,” Dr Tharoor said in an exclusive interview to The Australia Today weighing in on India-Canada diplomatic tensions.
He added that one would have expected to see someone convicted for the killing of 365 people, including several Canadian citizens, in the 1985 Air India bombing. The Canadian judicial system has shown its deficiencies over the years, added Dr Tharoor when asked about Foreign Minister Senator Wong’s recent statement on having faith in the Canadian judicial system. Further, Dr Tharoor criticized what he called Canada’s “misguided stance,” emphasizing the need for nations to address mutual concerns respectfully rather than escalating tensions.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly condemned Canadaian RCMP’s claims that Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, are “persons of interest” in an investigation, labelling them as politically motivated.
“The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics.”
India accused the Canadian government of failing to provide any evidence to support allegations made since September 2023, asserting this was part of a deliberate campaign to tarnish India’s image. The MEA also criticised Trudeau for pandering to separatist agendas, citing his 2018 India visit, Cabinet ties to extremist groups, and dependence on political allies with separatist ideologies.
“To that end, the Trudeau Government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists to harass, threaten, and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada.”
The statement also accused Canada of ignoring extradition requests for individuals linked to terrorism and organised crime, granting fast-tracked citizenship to illegal entrants, and failing to act against death threats targeting Indian leaders.
Despite heightened rhetoric and Canadian authorities deliberate media leaks, Canada has failed to present concrete proof linking Indian officials to the alleged crimes and has been unsuccessful in cointrolling the spread of Khalistani extremist ideology.
Diplomatic efforts, including meetings during the G20 Summit, have failed to de-escalate the situation, with India maintaining its stance and calling for evidence-based dialogue. The absence of tangible evidence has raised questions about Canada’s handling of the case and its potential impact on international relations.
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