Mon Oct 14 21:15:31 UTC 2024: ## India Expels Six Canadian Diplomats, Escalating Diplomatic Row Over Khalistani Terrorist’s Murder
**New Delhi:** The diplomatic relationship between India and Canada reached a new low on Monday, with India expelling six Canadian diplomats and recalling its High Commissioner from Canada. The move comes in response to Canada’s investigation into the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in which the Canadian government has named India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, as a “person of interest.”
The Indian government has vehemently condemned Canada’s actions, calling them “baseless” and accusing the Trudeau government of trying to “smear” India’s diplomats for political gain. India maintains that there is no evidence to support Canada’s claims of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s murder.
The row began in June 2023, when Nijjar, a leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force, was shot dead in Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau subsequently alleged in September 2023 that Indian government agents were responsible for the murder, accusations that India has repeatedly denied.
In a statement, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described Canada’s allegations as “absurd” and stated that it had lost trust in the Trudeau government. The MEA further warned that India reserves the right to take further action against the Trudeau government for its support of “extremism, violence and separatism” against India.
The MEA also pointed out that the Canadian government has yet to provide any evidence to support its accusations and that the timing of the investigation is suspicious, coinciding with Trudeau facing internal political pressure.
India has accused Canada of using the Nijjar case to appease a vocal Khalistani lobby in Canada and score political points at home. It is expected that the diplomatic row will further escalate tensions between the two countries.
First Piper 