India on Monday strongly condemned Canada’s decision to brand the Indian High Commissioner and several other diplomats in Ottawa as ‘persons of interest’ in an investigation into the murder of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Ministry of External Affairs described the move as ‘preposterous,’ accusing Trudeau’s government of vote bank politics.
The ministry said in a statement today that it had received a diplomatic note from Ottawa on Sunday saying that High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and other Indian diplomats are under investigation. Informants to this case revealed from inside pointed out that it entails the murder of Nijjar, who was shot dead by unknown gunmen outside a gurdwara in Surrey in June 2023.
India said it has conveyed its displeasure over the allegations in the strongest terms, stating that Verma is a senior diplomat who has served the country for more than 36 years and has worked in Japan, Sudan, Italy, Turkey, Vietnam and China, to name a few. The response of the Government of Canada is ridiculous, and they should be ashamed that all they can say is insults to him,” the statement said. Also, it reaffirmed that ‘India reserves the right to take further steps’ as a result of the accused actions of Canada, threatening a possibility of reciprocation.
The term ‘person of interest’ refers to a regular term that the police of Canada and the United States uses for people who may have links to an investigation but are not suspects who are charged. The relations between India and Canada have further soured since PM Trudeau blamed Indian agents for Nijjar’s murder in a parliamentary session in September 2023.
India termed the defending statement as ‘absurd’ and went on to scold Canada for its inability to present credible evidence of India’s wrongdoings in spite of having been asked to do so severally.
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