Nijjar killing & attempt on Pannun’s life part of ‘Single’ Plot: Canada’s envoy
New Delhi: Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have further deteriorated, following a wave of statements supporting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations regarding the Indian government’s involvement in the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Cameron MacKay, Canada’s former envoy to India, said that a recent U.S. indictment linking a former Indian agent to a foiled assassination attempt on Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun reveals a “single plot” orchestrated from Delhi targeting multiple individuals across North America.
In an interview with a TV channel, MacKay, who concluded his tenure in India in August, described the situation as “a fiasco on the part of the Indian government” for believing it could carry out such actions in Canada and the U.S. without repercussions.
The diplomatic crisis escalated after Canada expelled Indian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats in response to the allegations against India. In retaliation, India recalled its High Commissioner and five additional diplomats. The Canadian government has asserted that Indian diplomats were expelled from its territory.
MacKay indicated that both Canada and the U.S. are actively investigating the incidents, linking Nijjar’s killing with the thwarted attempt on Pannun’s life.
“The indictment and the charges in the United States just yesterday, along with previous indictments, paint a compelling and detailed portrait of a single plot emanating from Delhi to kill multiple targets across North America,” MacKay noted. He emphasized that evidence presented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) further clarifies the ongoing threats.
The U.S. has charged Vikas Yadav, a former Indian government official, with murder-for-hire and money laundering for his alleged role in the plot against Pannun on American soil. In light of these developments, India has formed a high-level committee to investigate the allegations.
The diplomatic rift intensified after Trudeau’s assertions in September that Indian agents may have been involved in Nijjar’s murder. He described the findings from the RCMP as “clear and compelling evidence” of unlawful actions by the Indian government, including threats to public safety within the South Asian Canadian community.
