During his visit to India, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters has raised doubts regarding the purported Indian connection to the killing of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He expressed skepticism about the lack of evidence supporting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assertions regarding the alleged Indian link in Nijjar’s death.
Peters, 78, is currently on an official visit to India from March 10-13, engaged in discussions with top MEA officials. He also met External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar wherein both ministers agreed on enhancing our political, trade & economic, security, connectivity, mobility, education and people to people ties.
In an interview with The Indian Express on Tuesday, Peters questioned whether Canada had indeed provided information on the Nijjar case to New Zealand and if his country had conveyed its stance to India. He indicated that while such intelligence may be shared among alliance partners, its true value or veracity may remain uncertain. Peters emphasized the importance of concrete evidence, especially considering the serious nature of the allegations.
“As a trained lawyer, I look okay, so where’s the case? Where’s the evidence? Where’s the finding right here, right now? Well, there isn’t one,” Peters remarked, highlighting the absence of conclusive proof to substantiate the claims made by Trudeau last September. At that time, Trudeau had asserted that Canadian security agencies were investigating credible allegations of a potential link between Indian government agents and Nijjar’s killing.
The Indian government had vehemently refuted these allegations, dismissing them as baseless and motivated. Peters’ remarks underscore the cautious approach adopted by New Zealand towards intelligence-sharing and the importance of substantiated evidence in matters of international significance.
During his visit, Peters also visited Gujarat before arriving in Delhi. Moreover, with decades of political experience under his belt, Peters’ diplomatic engagement in India highlights the nuanced dynamics of international relations and the importance of evidence-based discourse in addressing complex geopolitical issues.
