PM Trudeau says India violated Canadian sovereignty amid Nijjar murder row
Ottawa: Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated there are “clear indications” that India violated Canadian sovereignty, amid escalating tensions over the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil last year, which Ottawa has attributed to New Delhi.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Trudeau’s remarks followed the recent expulsion of ambassadors by both countries, as Canada said that India’s involvement in operations against Sikh activist extended beyond previously known activities.
The conflict intensified after Canada said the Indian government was involved in Nijjar’s murder outside a Sikh temple in Vancouver in June 2023. Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar’s assissination.
During a hearing on foreign interference, Trudeau addressed Nijjar’s assassination and a broader campaign by Indian representatives targeting Canadian citizens. “We have clear and increasingly evident indications that India has violated Canada’s sovereignty,” he stated, adding that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police found that “violence towards Canadians has been enabled and, in many cases, directed by the Indian government.”
Trudeau emphasized that when Ottawa confronted New Delhi with these allegations, India’s response was to intensify attacks on the Canadian government and to arbitrarily expel dozens of Canadian diplomats without cause.
While Trudeau expressed a desire to maintain positive relations with a significant trading partner, he asserted his commitment to “standing up for Canadian sovereignty.”
