India expels senior Canadian diplomat, cites anti-India activity and interference
Hours after Canada expelled senior Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai over allegations that 'agents of the Indian government' were behind the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year, New Delhi too has expelled a senior Canadian diplomat. The diplomat has been asked to leave within five days.
FollowHours after Canada expelled senior Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai over allegations that 'agents of the Indian government' were behind the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year, New Delhi too has expelled a senior Canadian diplomat. The diplomat has been asked to leave within five days.
The MEA statement read: "The High Commissioner of Canada to India was summoned today and informed about the decision of the Government of India to expel a senior Canadian diplomat based in India. The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days. The decision reflects the Government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, on Monday, accused the Indian government of being involved in the fatal shooting of a Canadian Sikh leader who had been labelled a 'terrorist' by India. Trudeau asserted that Canada's national security agencies had credible reasons to suspect that "agents of the Indian government" were responsible for the assassination of the Canadian citizen, who also held the position of president at Surrey's Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
In response, India's Ministry of External Affairs released a statement on Monday night categorically rejecting Trudeau's allegations, deeming them "absurd." The statement underscored that such unsupported claims were an attempt to divert attention from the presence of Khalistani terrorists and extremists who had sought refuge in Canada, posing a continued threat to India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Indian government expressed longstanding concerns about the Canadian government's inaction regarding these issues, emphasizing their apprehension about the situation.
In the wake of Trudeau's allegations, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister, Mélanie Joly, announced the expulsion of 'a senior Indian diplomat.' According to reports from local media, citing Joly's office, the diplomat being expelled is Pavan Kumar Rai, the head of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), which serves as the country's foreign intelligence agency in Canada.
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