The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday blamed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the damage to India-Canada relations after he admitted that his government had only provided “intelligence and no proof” on its allegation of involvement of Indian government agents in the 2023 killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
On Wednesday, Trudeau testified before the country’s foreign interference inquiry amid the escalating India-Canada diplomatic row, during which the PM acknowledged that he had no “hard evidentiary proof” and only had intelligence when Canada last year alleged the involvement of the Indian government agents in the killing of Nijjar.
‘No hard evidentiary proof’
Trudeau said when Canadian agencies asked India to look into the allegations, New Delhi sought proof. “At that point, it was primarily intelligence, not hard evidentiary proof,” he admitted.
The Canadian PM further claimed that during July-August last year he had asked the Indian intelligence community to look into it later and alleged that it was initially thought to be a “gang-related” issue.
“Some South Asian MPs were insistent that it was likely connected to India,” Trudeau claimed, but did not name who those lawmakers were.
‘Indian diplomats collected, passed info on Canadians to Lawrence Bishnoi gang’
Trudeau reiterated his claim before the committee on Wednesday (October 16) that there was “credible evidence” that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Nijjar.
He also named gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who was earlier mentioned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for being involved in the Nijjar Killing.
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Trudeau claimed that Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians and were allegedly passing it to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
“Canadians who are opponents of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, their information was passed to the Indian government at the highest level and then information directed through criminal organisations like the Lawrence Bishnoi gang resulted in violence against Canadians on the ground,” Trudeau claimed.
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Trudeau admits didn’t provide hard proof against India in Nijjar killing, says only shared intel
“We wanted to question Indian diplomats, but they did not waive their diplomatic immunity which is why we had to ask them to leave,” the Canadian PM further alleged.
On Monday (October 14), India expelled six Canadian diplomats and also announced withdrawing its high commissioner from Canada after dismissing Ottawa’s allegations linking the envoy to a probe into the killing of Nijjar.
In a tit-for-tat move, Canada too has asked six Indian diplomats to leave the country after its police collected evidence they were part of an Indian government “campaign of violence”.
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India’s reaction to Trudeau’s statements
Responding to media queries related to Trudeau’s deposition, the MEA said, “What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along – Canada has presented us no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats.”
“The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone,” the ministry further stated.
With inputs from agencies.
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