As the diplomatic ties between India and Canada reach a new low, High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma has denied any involvement of Indian diplomats in the killin꧂g of Canadian Sikh and Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The High Commissioner, who has now been rec🍨alled, reiterated India's ꦇcall for evidence during an interview with CTV's Question Period.
The Indian government recalled Verma and five other Indian diplomats after C꧑anada named the diplomats as "p♛ersons of interest" in their investigation into Nijjar's killing.
Calling the allegations "preposte🦋rous", India denied all accusations laid forth by Canada and labelled the charges as the Trudeau administration's political agenda.
Speaking🥂 to CTV, High Commissioner Verma 🔴also blamed Prime Minister Trudeau and stated that he is solely responsible for the downgrading of ties between India and Canada.
“He [Prime Minister Justin Trudeau] has made sure that the bilateral relation🦋 with India only goes do🍬wnward, spiralling down,” Verma told CTV.
"Canada didn't follow the practice which should have been there. Evidence should have been shared first, but someone (Trudeau) decided to stand in Parliament and talk abou⛦t a thing fo🃏r which he himself has said there was no hard evidence," the High Commissioner said.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of or෴dering the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, who is an Indian government-designated terrorist and known Khalistan separat♓ist, was gunned down outside a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023.
Trudeau publicly stated that Canada has "credible allegations" pointing to India's involvement in Nijjar's killing. However, after sharing no proof with India, the Liberal Party leader admitted tha⛦t the accusations against India were based on intelligence and not "concrete evidence".
"The problem is t💫hat ๊when he accused, he himself admitted there was no hard evidence. There was intelligence. On the basis of intelligence, if you want to destroy a relationship, be my guest," Verma added.
Verma, who had been listed as a person of interest, stated that Indian 🍃diplomats would monitor the activities of anti-India elements and pro-Khalistan elements in Canada, but not use any covert means to do so.
During his interview with CTV, the High Commissioner also pointed out Western 𒊎hypocrisy and๊ stated that many countries have conducted covert operations on foreign soil.
"I know the countries which have done it (extraj𝓰udicial killings on foreign territory). And some of them are G7 countries, by the way. So let's not talk about it. There should not be double standards," he said, adding that "gone are the days when the so-called developed countries would ask a developing country that you must do this, and they will run after them and do it".
