India Expels Canadian Diplomat Amid Escalating Tensions Following Trudeau’s Accusations Regarding Sikh Leader’s Killing

24

In a significant development, India has taken the decision to expel a high-ranking Canadian diplomat, further intensifying the ongoing standoff between the two nations. This diplomatic dispute stems from Canada’s allegations suggesting India’s potential involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader residing in suburban Vancouver.

India has firmly rejected these allegations, labeling them as baseless and irrational. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement asserting that the expulsion was prompted by their growing concerns about Canadian diplomats interfering in India’s internal affairs and engaging in activities that are perceived as detrimental to India’s interests.

In response to this escalating situation, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has attempted to defuse tensions, emphasizing that Canada’s intention is not to provoke or escalate matters further. He emphasized the importance of clarity and transparency in resolving the issue and urged India to treat it with the utmost seriousness.

The roots of this controversy trace back to Canadian claims made by Trudeau, who stated that there are “credible allegations” pointing toward Indian involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-year-old Sikh leader who was assassinated by masked gunmen in Surrey, near Vancouver, back in June. It’s worth noting that India has long asserted that Nijjar, a Canadian citizen originally from India, had connections to terrorism, an allegation vehemently denied by Nijjar.

Remarkably, Trudeau’s remarks on this matter were reportedly shared with President Joe Biden’s administration before being made public, indicating the Canadian government’s confidence in the findings. However, as of now, Canada has not provided concrete evidence of Indian involvement. If substantiated, such an accusation would represent a significant departure for India, whose security and intelligence apparatus has historically played a substantial role in South Asian affairs and has been implicated in various incidents in Pakistan. Nevertheless, orchestrating the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, a country home to nearly two million people of Indian descent, would mark an unprecedented development.

India, on the other hand, has accused Canada for years of harboring Sikh separatists, including Nijjar, which has been a longstanding point of contention between the two nations.

These reciprocal expulsions have heightened tensions between Canada and India. Trudeau’s interactions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a recent Group of 20 meeting in New Delhi were characterized as tense, and shortly thereafter, Canada canceled a planned trade mission to India.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in addition to being a plumber, was a prominent figure in the remnants of a once-vibrant movement advocating for an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan. This movement was associated with a decade-long Sikh insurgency that rocked northern India during the 1970s and 1980s, ultimately suppressed by a government crackdown that resulted in thousands of casualties, including prominent Sikh leaders.

The violence stemming from this period extended across years and borders. In 1984, the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two Sikh bodyguards, following her order for an army operation at Sikhism’s holiest shrine, triggered riots that claimed over 2,000 Sikh lives. The following year, an Air India jetliner en route from Toronto to New Delhi was destroyed by a bomb over the Irish coast, with Sikh separatists being held responsible.

Although the Khalistan movement has waned in political influence, it still maintains support within the Indian state of Punjab and the substantial overseas Sikh diaspora. While the active insurgency ended years ago, the Indian government has repeatedly warned of attempts by Sikh separatists to stage a comeback.

Prior to his murder, Indian authorities had sought Nijjar’s arrest and had even offered a reward for information leading to his apprehension. At the time of his killing, Nijjar was associated with the group “Sikhs For Justice” and was organizing an unofficial Sikh diaspora referendum on independence from India.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a spokesperson for Sikhs For Justice, claimed that Canadian intelligence officials had warned Nijjar about potential assassination attempts by “mercenaries.” Nijjar had been regularly meeting with officers from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, including just days before his assassination, according to his son Balraj Singh Nijjar.

The younger Nijjar revealed that his father had received numerous threats related to his advocacy for Sikh independence, all of which had been reported to the authorities. He stated that they had no safety concerns because they believed they were exercising their right to freedom of speech. The family expressed relief at Canada’s actions, suggesting that they had long suspected the involvement of the Indian government in this matter.

Trudeau, addressing the Canadian Parliament, emphasized that Canadian security agencies were actively investigating the “credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India” and Nijjar’s assassination. He underscored the gravity of any foreign government’s involvement in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, emphasizing that it constitutes an unacceptable violation of Canada’s sovereignty.

India’s foreign ministry dismissed these allegations as “absurd” and accused Canada of sheltering “terrorists and extremists.” It claimed that such unfounded accusations divert attention from the presence of Khalistani terrorists and extremists in Canada, who, it asserts, continue to pose threats to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

India has long pressed Canada to take action against the Sikh independence movement, which is proscribed in India. Canada, with a Sikh population exceeding 770,000, comprising approximately 2% of its total population, finds itself navigating a complex and sensitive issue.

Notably, earlier this year, India summoned the Canadian high commissioner in New Delhi, the country’s top diplomat, to express concerns about Sikh independence protests taking place in Canada. In 2020, the Indian foreign ministry also summoned the Canadian top diplomat over Trudeau’s comments regarding an agricultural protest movement linked to the state of Punjab, which has a significant Sikh population.

Critics have accused Prime Minister Modi’s Hindu nationalist government of employing sedition laws and other legal tools to suppress dissent, resulting in the arrest of several government critics and fostering an atmosphere of intimidation.

Trudeau mentioned that he had discussed Nijjar’s assassination with Modi during the recent G20 meeting in New Delhi. He conveyed Canada’s stance that any involvement of the Indian government would be unacceptable, urging cooperation in the investigation. In response, Modi expressed “strong concerns” regarding Canada’s handling of the Sikh independence movement, as stated in India’s official statement.

During his visit to New Delhi, Trudeau notably skipped a dinner hosted by the Indian president, and there were reports in local media suggesting that he had only a brief “pull aside” meeting with Modi instead of a formal bilateral meeting.

India’s statement called upon Canada to collaborate on addressing what it perceived as a threat to the Indian diaspora and accused the Sikh movement of promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats.

In a related development, earlier this year, Sikh protesters in London removed the Indian flag from India’s high commission and vandalized the building following India’s arrest of a prominent Sikh preacher. Similar incidents occurred at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, where protesters clashed with consulate staff.

Meanwhile, the British government has indicated that it has no plans to reopen the investigation into the death of a U.K.-based Sikh activist following Canada’s claim that India may have been involved in Nijjar’s killing. Avtar Singh Khanda, who played a prominent role in advocating for an independent Sikh homeland, passed away in Birmingham in June under circumstances prompting allegations of poisoning. However, the U.K. police did not find any evidence of foul play.

These allegations made by the Trudeau government have implications for the United Kingdom, which maintains a close alliance with Canada in the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing partnership, alongside the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The U.K. is also actively pursuing a free trade agreement with India, further complicating the diplomatic landscape.

This escalating dispute between Canada and India underscores the complexity of international relations and the potential ramifications of accusations involving state actors. It remains to be seen how the two nations will navigate these troubled waters and seek resolution in the days ahead.

[End of Paraphrased Text]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Diplomatic Tensions

More about Diplomatic Tensions

• India expels Canadian diplomat amid Sikh leader murder allegations
• Canada’s allegations and India’s response
• Background on the Khalistan movement
• International reaction to the Canada-India dispute
• Challenges in balancing diplomatic relations and domestic concerns