"Political Agenda Of The Trudeau Government": India's Sharp Reply To Canada (image:instagram/@justinpjtrudeau)

On Monday, in a strong-worded response India rejected Canada’s recent allegation that former’s High Commissioner and other diplomats were being “persons of interest” in a investigation, by dubbing it as ” the political agenda of the Trudeau Government.”

The diplomatic ties between India and Canada were not in best terms ever since Canadian President Justin Trudeau made accusation on India’s involvement in the killing of a Canadian Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in last year.  The conflict has now taken a new face as Canada reportedly stated that the Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma as a ‘person of interest’ in its investigation into Nijjar’s death.  India, in its quick response said: “The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics.”

Also Read | North Korea May Destroy Inter-Korean Roads, Says Seoul

“Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian Government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side. This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

India, further stated that aspersions cast on Verma by the Canadian government are “ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt.”

The last exchange between India and Canada happened on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos two days before.  Trudeau in a press conference pointed the meeting as a “brief exchange” while sources in New Delhi referred the meeting as inconsequential.

Also Read | Indian Youth Take Part In Pro-Khalistan Protest In Canada To ‘Make Asylum Claims’: Report

Following Nijjar’s death in June 2023, Trudeau alleged that his murder was an extraterritorial assassination operated by the Indian government. Subsequently, country has also initiated an investigation on the matter with the help of Canadian Intelligence agencies, and the controversy immediately triggered bureaucratic tension between the two countries. Meanwhile, India rejected Canadian government’s allegation and said it as “absurd and motivated” and demanded to share evidence to support their assertion. India had also accused Canada of giving space to anti-Indian elements on Canadian soil.