Canada has officially expelled India’s High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma along with five other Indian diplomats, following revelations from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding the Indian government’s alleged involvement in “violent criminal activity” on Canadian soil. This activity primarily targets pro-Khalistan separatists, with a specific focus on the murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was assassinated in June 2023.
Evidence of assassination plots revealed
According to Canadian sources, police and intelligence agencies possess compelling evidence implicating the six expelled diplomats in Nijjar’s assassination plot. Following the notification of their expulsion, New Delhi swiftly recalled the diplomats.
The Canadian government presented this evidence to Indian authorities last week, asserting that top Indian diplomats were intricately involved in the assassination plans.
A senior Canadian official indicated that this incident is not isolated; India has reportedly been linked to other violent incidents within the country. Since Nijjar’s murder, approximately a dozen Sikhs advocating for the Khalistan Referendum have received warnings about credible threats to their safety from Indian agents.
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The RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme is expected to disclose additional details regarding these allegations in a press conference scheduled for today in Ottawa.
In response to the expulsion, the India government announced it would withdraw its diplomats, labeling the Canada government’s actions as politically motivated and baseless. “The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau government,” read the official statement.
Tensions escalate between Canada and India
India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Canadian chargé d’affaires to express its discontent with the “unacceptable” targeting of its diplomats. The Indian government has demanded the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats, who have been ordered to leave the country by 11:59 PM on October 19, 2024.
Relations between India and Canada have soured since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents were linked to Nijjar’s assassination. In October 2023, Canada had previously withdrawn over 40 diplomats from India after New Delhi requested a reduction in its diplomatic presence.
Adding to the ongoing tensions, the United States has claimed that Indian agents were involved in a foiled assassination attempt on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in New York in 2023.
In a statement following the expulsion, Pannun lauded the Canadian government’s actions as a testament to its commitment to justice, asserting that it reflects the reality of Indian diplomats facilitating the assassination of Nijjar. He indicated that SFJ will allocate $500,000 to track Verma’s movements in a bid to hold him accountable for his alleged involvement in the assassination.
Pannun further criticised the anti-Khalistan rhetoric among Canadian politicians, citing the remarks of Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya, who has been accused of spreading hate speech against peaceful Khalistan activism.
