India rejects Canadian PM Trudeau's charges

Trudeau alleges links of Bishnoi gang with Indian government agents

- VINAY KUMAR

NEW DELHI: Relations between India and Canada reached a new low on Tuesday as both countries continued to spar over the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canadian authorities have now attempted to link the Indian government with criminal gangs, such as the Bishnoi gang, to carry out covert operations on Canadian soil, a charge that India vehemently denies. This ongoing diplomatic row, which began last year, now threatens to derail the historically amicable relations between the two nations.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, in a press conference, did not rule out the possibility of imposing sanctions against India, stating that "everything is on the table." Her comments came in the wake of Ottawa's escalating rhetoric, where it accused India of not only being involved in Nijjar's killing but also of engaging in clandestine activities that pose a threat to the safety of Canadian citizens, especially those of South Asian descent.

The allegations from Canada first surfaced in September 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an explosive claim that there was "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a known pro-Khalistan extremist, on Canadian soil.

Continued from P1 T This assertion was met with immediate and harsh rejection by New Delhi, which called Trudeau's accusations "absurd" and reflective of internal political manoeuvring.