Montreal, Canada – India’s excessive commissioner to Canada has rejected allegations of involvement within the 2023 killing of a distinguished Sikh separatist chief within the nation, slamming the Canadian authorities as being “politically motivated” in its accusations.
In an interview with Canadian community CTV Information on Sunday, Sanjay Kumar Verma was requested whether or not he had something to do with the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“Nothing in any respect, no proof offered, politically motivated,” he replied.
The interview comes simply days after Canadian police mentioned they’d uncovered proof that Indian authorities brokers have been concerned “in critical legal exercise in Canada”, together with hyperlinks “to homicides and violent acts”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s authorities introduced on Monday that it was expelling six Indian diplomats and consular officers – together with Verma – after they have been recognized as “individuals of curiosity” within the killing of Nijjar.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was fatally shot in June 2023 outdoors a Sikh temple the place he served as president in Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia.
He had been a number one advocate in what is called the Khalistan motion, a Sikh marketing campaign for a sovereign state in India’s Punjab area, which India views as a menace to its nationwide safety.
His killing despatched shock waves throughout Canada and ties between New Delhi and Ottawa hit new lows after the Canadian authorities mentioned in September of final 12 months that it was investigating whether or not Indian authorities brokers have been concerned.
India has rejected the allegations, describing them as “preposterous imputations” and calling on Canada to indicate proof to again up its claims.
On Monday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) mentioned it straight offered proof to Indian authorities officers, “urging their cooperation in stemming the violence and requesting our regulation enforcement companies work collectively to handle these points”.
Throughout Sunday’s interview with CTV Information, Verma – the Indian excessive commissioner to Canada – repeatedly mentioned he has not been offered with any proof.
Verma mentioned India is “dedicated to not do extrajudicial killings on any territory”.
He additionally mentioned he had by no means directed or coerced people into gathering data on pro-Khalistan activists in Canada. “I, as excessive commissioner of India, have by no means accomplished something of that sort,” he instructed CTV Information.
“Can we need to know what pro-Khalistani parts in Canada are doing? Sure, we do. That’s my nationwide curiosity. That’s my entire concern with Canada, which is making an attempt to tear up Indian territory.
“If the Canadian politicians are so novice that they need me to not know what my enemies are doing right here, I’m sorry – then they don’t know what worldwide relations is all about,” mentioned Verma, stressing that the data gathering was “all overt”.
“We learn the newspapers, we learn their statements,” he added.
However members of the Sikh group in Canada – the biggest Sikh diaspora on the earth, numbering round 770,000 individuals – have mentioned they confronted threats for many years. They’ve accused the Indian authorities of making an attempt to silence them.
“For 40 years, our group has been working to convey international interference from India to mild,” Moninder Singh, an affiliate of Nijjar’s in British Columbia, instructed Al Jazeera final 12 months.
Sikh advocates in the USA have additionally confronted threats, and final week, the US Division of Justice charged an Indian authorities official it mentioned was concerned in a failed plot to kill a distinguished advocate for Sikh separatism in New York.
US authorities filed “murder-for-hire and cash laundering fees” towards Vikash Yadav for his alleged involvement within the plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Pannun, a US citizen, is the authorized adviser for the group Sikhs for Justice and a vocal supporter of the Khalistan motion.
“The defendant [Yadav], an Indian authorities worker, allegedly conspired with a legal affiliate and tried to assassinate a US citizen on American soil for exercising their First Modification rights,” FBI Director Christopher Wray mentioned in an announcement.
Sikhs for Justice mentioned the US indictment demonstrated Washington’s “dedication … to guard the life, liberty and freedom of expression of the US Citizen at dwelling and overseas”.
India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs mentioned Yadav was now not employed by the federal government.