Canadian authorities have expelled six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, in connection with the investigation into the murder of Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference in Ottawa. (Updated at 11:39 a.m.)
Trudeau said the Canadian government has clear and convincing evidence that agents of the Indian government have engaged and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety.
Canada’s foreign ministry said in a statement:
Global Affairs Canada, today announced that six Indian diplomats and consular officials had received a notice of expulsion from Canada in relation to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India.
The Indian government calls the allegations ridiculous and accuses Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of deliberately vilifying the country “for political gain.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs in turn said it was expelling Canada’s acting high commissioner and five other diplomats. They were ordered to leave the country by the end of Saturday, October 19.
Four Indian nationals were arrested in connection with Nijjar’s murder, which took place in the car park of a Sikh temple in Vancouver in June 2023.
Nijjar, 45, was fatally shot in his pickup truck after leaving the Sikh temple he led in Surrey, British Columbia. An Indian-born Canadian citizen, he owned a plumbing business and was one of the leaders of a once-powerful movement to create an independent Sikh homeland. India declared Nijjar a terrorist in 2020 and at the time of his death was seeking his arrest for his alleged involvement in an attack on a Hindu priest.
Background to conflict development
India has repeatedly criticised the Trudeau government for being soft on supporters of the Khalistan movement living in Canada. The Khalistan movement is banned in India but enjoys support among the Sikh diaspora, especially in Canada.
India has asked countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK to take legal action against Sikh activists. In particular, India has expressed concern to Canada, where Sikhs make up nearly 2 per cent of the country’s population.
In response to Canada’s previous accusations, India last year demanded that Canada expel 41 of the 62 diplomats in the country. Since then, relations between the countries have remained cold.
India’s foreign ministry said on Monday that “India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau government’s support for extremism, violence and separatism against India.”
The ministry also summoned Canada’s top diplomat in New Delhi and told him that the “unwarranted attacks” on the Indian high commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada were “totally unacceptable.”
One of the diplomats, Stewart Wheeler, told reporters after the summons that India should investigate the allegations and that Canada “stands ready to co-operate with India.”
Meanwhile, the US State Department said in a statement that an Indian investigative commission set up to probe a plot to assassinate another prominent Sikh separatist leader, based in New York, will be travelling to Washington on Tuesday as part of its ongoing investigation to discuss the case. It said:
“Additionally, India has informed the United States they are continuing their efforts to investigate other linkages of the former government employee and will determine follow-up steps, as necessary.”
US prosecutors said last year that an Indian government official led a plot to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil and charged the man they said was part of the foiled plot.
The official was not charged or named, but he was described as a “senior field officer” in charge of security management and intelligence, and was said to have previously served in India’s Central Reserve Police Force.
At the time, New Delhi expressed concern after the US raised the issue and said India was taking it seriously. Canada’s foreign minister on Monday said India was co-operating with US officials and could do so with Canada as well.
