India Expells Senior Canadian Diplomat
Shortly after India issued an official statement rejecting the Canadian allegation of Indian contribution in a recent murder in Canada, Indian government expelled a senior Canadian diplomat based in India on Tuesday morning.
The expelled diplomat, Cameron MacKay, was a Canadian High Commissioner to India. He was summoned at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) headquarters at South Block in New Delhi today morning and informed the decision took by the government of India.
“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”, reads the official statement issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Mr MacKay is also asked to leave the country within the next five days.
The decision was disclosed by the MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi through X (formerly Twitter) by sharing the copy of the order.
India expels a senior Canadian Diplomat: https://t.co/TS8LHCUuuY pic.twitter.com/Y0pXq3v1DG
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) September 19, 2023
“The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days. The decision reflects Government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities”, says the statement.
The incident is the continuation of controversial claims made by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in their parliament. Mr Trudeau addressing the parliament alleged that the Indian government may have had links to the assassination in Canada of a Khalistani separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
He also informed that the Canadian intelligence agencies are investigating the allegations after Nijjar was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly also supported the PM”s claim issuing a statement.
In continuation, on Monday, an Indian diplomat in Canada was also expelled by the country”s government as part of the investigation initiated by the Canadian Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, Indian MEA released an official document rejecting the Canadian government’s allegation saying it as “absurd and motivated”.
“We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister”, reads the MEA issued official statement.
India rejects allegations by Canada:https://t.co/KDzCczWNN2 pic.twitter.com/VSDxbefWLw
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) September 19, 2023
#WATCH | Canadian High Commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay leaves from the MEA headquarters at South Block, New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/zFAaTFfeAP
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
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