External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, has raised concerns over the presence and activities of Khalistani forces within Canadian politics, stating that this situation is damaging to the India-Canada relationship. The remarks come amid ongoing tensions between the two nations, including allegations of Indian involvement in the murder of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
In an interview with the news agency ANI, Dr. Jaishankar emphasized the issue at the heart of the strained relationship between India and Canada, pointing out that Khalistani forces have been granted substantial space in Canadian politics. He expressed his belief that these activities are not only detrimental to India’s interests but also against Canada’s interests.
The relationship between India and Canada took a frosty turn following allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September. Trudeau suggested “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani activist, on June 18 of the previous year. India strongly rejected these claims, terming them as “absurd.”
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the United States Department of Justice indicted a senior Indian intelligence official and an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, in November. The indictment accused them of planning and directing a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. The US indictment revealed that the Indian official had sent a video of Nijjar’s bloodied body to Gupta, who responded by expressing regret that he hadn’t conducted the killing himself.
In response to these developments, the Indian government instituted a high-level inquiry into the matter. Speaking in Parliament in December, Dr. Jaishankar highlighted the distinction between the US and Canada’s allegations, asserting, “Insofar as the US is concerned, certain inputs were given to us as part of our security cooperation with the United States. Those inputs were of concern to us because they related to the nexus of organized crime, trafficking, and other matters. Because it has a bearing on our own national security, it was decided to institute an inquiry into the matter and an inquiry committee has been constituted. Insofar as Canada is concerned, no specific evidence or inputs were provided to us. So the question of equitable treatment to two countries, one of whom has provided inputs and one of whom has not, does not arise.”
