Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says New Delhi’s actions 'unacceptable' amid escalating tensions over Sikh separatist’s murder

Canada has accused India of making a “fundamental error,” as an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil last year saw both countries expel each other’s ambassadors.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Oct 14 branded India’s actions as “unacceptable” during a press conference in Ottawa on the diplomatic expulsions, which saw tensions escalate to a new high after the murder of Sikh separatist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June last year.

“The government of India made a fundamental error in thinking that they could engage in supporting criminal activity against Canadians here on Canadian soil, whether it be murders or extortion or other violent acts,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa, hours after the expulsions were announced.

“We will never tolerate the involvement of a foreign government threatening and killing Canadian citizens on Canadian soil, a deeply unacceptable violation of Canada’s sovereignty and international law,” he said.

Trudeau had previously said there were “credible allegations” linking Indian intelligence services to the killing. Both countries have traded accusations against each other recently, culminating with the expulsions on Oct 14 of each other’s ambassadors and five other top diplomats in both countries.

The expulsions came after India recently said its envoy had been named among “persons of interest” following the killing of Nijjar.
India “decided to expel” Ottawa’s acting High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler, his deputy and four first secretaries, ordering they leave before midnight on Oct 13.

Ottawa in response announced similar measures in return, with Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) Mike Duheme quoted as saying they have evidence allegedly tying Indian government agents to other homicides and violent acts in Canada.
Also, In a diplomatic communique on Oct 13, Canada alleged the involvement of the Indian High Commissioner in the 2023 killing of Nijjar.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement on Oct 14 described the Canadian allegations as “preposterous imputations”, arguing that the matter was linked with the political challenges that the Trudeau government was facing on the domestic front in Canada.

India also proceeded to withdraw its High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and other senior diplomats stationed in Canada.
MEA said it had told Verma to return home and that it had “no faith” in the Canadian government’s commitment to ensuring the six expelled diplomats’ security.

Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Oct 14, said that India had refused to cooperate in the investigation or to lift diplomatic immunity for its envoys.

“The decision to expel these individuals was made with great consideration and only after RCMP gathered ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the Nijjar case,” she said in a statement, referring to the RCMP.

Nijjar — who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen in 2015 — advocated for a separate Sikh state, known as Khalistan, carved out of India. He was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder.
Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar’s murder, which took place in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Vancouver in June 2023.

India had earlier said that it “received a diplomatic communication from Canada suggesting that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are persons of interest” in the ongoing investigation. It also said their envoy, Sanjay Kumar Verma, a former ambassador to Japan and Sudan, was a respected career diplomat and that the accusations were “ludicrous”.