New Delhi: In an escalation of the ongoing diplomatic row, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly issued a warning, saying that Indian diplomats are “clearly on notice”.
She asserted that the government would not tolerate any diplomats who contravene the Vienna Convention or put the lives of Canadians at risk. “They are clearly on notice. Six of them have been expelled, including the high commissioner in Ottawa. Others were mainly from Toronto and Vancouver…. We’ve never seen that in our history. That level of transnational repression cannot happen on Canadian soil. We’ve seen it elsewhere in Europe. Russia has done that in Germany and the UK and we needed to stand firm on this issue,” Joly said when asked if more Indian diplomats will be expelled.
This comes days after Canada named the Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa as a person of interest in the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the national police service in Canada, had earlier said there have been imminent threats to members of the South Asian community, in particular Sikh members aligned with the pro-Khalistan movement. They further alleged that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang active in Canada was linked to Indian government agents though the government there had in past completely ignored India’s request to deport members of the gang operating from their soil.
Ottawa has also failed to provide any hard evidence after accusing Indian diplomats of complicity in the murder of the Khalistani terrorist killed last year, according to Ministry of External Affairs here.
Reports further said that the Canadian government was also monitoring individual Indian journalists as well as media. It has compiled and submitted a dossier of social media posts by them to the foreign interference commission.
Canada border police official named by India in terror case
In response to Canada’s recent allegations against its diplomats, India has added the name of Sandeep Singh Sidhu, a superintendent with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), to the list of fugitive terrorists sought for deportation.
This followed the recent promotion of Sidhu to the rank of superintendent within the CBSA.
Reports indicate that the employee of the CBSA is a member of the banned International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and is accused of promoting terrorist activities in Punjab. He allegedly had ties with Pakistan-based Khalistan terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode and other ISI operatives. He alongside Lakhbir Singh Rode are said to be masterminds in the 2020 assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu, a recipient of the Shaurya Chakra award who became a symbol of resistance against Khalistani extremism during Punjab’s decade-long militancy.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India investigation report mentions that Sidhu might be using the alias “Sunny Toronto” and had coordinated with gangster Sukhmeetpal Singh, alias Sukh Bhikhariwal, to facilitate the killing.
Balwinder Singh had also opposed Khalistan referendums being held in the US and Canada by the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
India has formally requested his deportation, presenting evidence to the Canadian government regarding Sidhu’s terrorist affiliations and connections with pro-Khalistan elements, Times Now reported.
India-Canada relations have been severely strained since September last year, after Justin Trudeau alleged in the Canadian Parliament that Indian agents were involved in the June 2023 assassination of Nijjar. It hit rock bottom on October 14 when New Delhi announced its decision to withdraw its High Commissioner to Ottawa and “other targeted diplomats” and expelled six Canadian diplomats. The Narendra Modi government has also rejected allegations made by Canada on the alleged involvement of Indian diplomats in the killing.
