Trudeau Admits No Solid Evidence Against India in Nijjar Murder Case; India Holds Canadian PM Responsible for Relationship Strain
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has admitted that he only had intelligence information when he accused Indian agents of involvement in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. He stated there was no solid evidence to support this claim.
The Trudeau government had previously asserted that it provided evidence related to Nijjar’s murder to India. At the same time, India claims that Canada has not shared any evidence linked to this assassination. Following Trudeau’s statement, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday (October 17) that the Canadian PM is responsible for the tension in relations between the two countries.
In this context, a committee has been formed in Canadian politics to investigate foreign interference. Trudeau appeared before this committee on Wednesday, where he mentioned that he received intelligence from the Five Eyes countries, which indicated that India was involved in the murder of its citizen on Canadian soil.
Quote from Justin Trudeau
“My intention was only to talk to the Government of India. When I did this they asked us for proof. We said then that we have intelligence, there is no solid evidence at this time. So we need to work together.“
— Justin Trudeau
Trudeau on Investigation Committee: India Has Not Provided Assistance
Trudeau told the investigation committee that he hopes India will handle this matter responsibly to prevent deterioration in relations between the two countries; however, Indian officials have not assisted us in the investigation.
He stated that there are clear indications that India has targeted Sikhs in Canada and violated our sovereignty. Trudeau described India’s actions as a “major mistake.”
Ministry of External Affairs: Trudeau Has Validated Our Argument
The spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that we have been consistently saying the same thing: Canada has not provided any evidence to substantiate the allegations against India and Indian diplomats.
He emphasized that the damage caused to India-Canada relations due to Trudeau’s careless attitude is solely his responsibility.
What are the Five Eyes?
The Five Eyes is an alliance of five countries that share intelligence inputs with one another. The countries included in this alliance are the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Terrorist Pannu Claims to Have Provided Anti-India Information to Canada
Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu stated in an interview with Canadian news channel CBC News on Wednesday that he has provided Canada with information against India. His terrorist organization, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has been in contact with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the past 2-3 years. He mentioned that he has shared information about the intelligence network of the Indian High Commission with Trudeau.
Pannu currently resides in the United States and runs the organization Sikhs for Justice. He holds citizenship in both the U.S. and Canada.
Events Between India and Canada in the Last 5 Days
October 13: Canada sent a letter to India, stating that Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and other diplomats are under suspicion in a case. Canada did not provide details about the case, but it is linked to the Nijjar case.
October 14: India protested against the labeling of its diplomats as suspicious and summoned the Canadian ambassador. A few hours later, India recalled Sanjay Kumar Verma and other diplomats. Late at night, it was reported that Canada had also ordered six of its diplomats to return from India.
October 15: Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau accused Indian agents of direct involvement in the murder of Nijjar.
