India has dismissed Justin Trudeau’s claim as ‘absurd’. (File)
New Delhi:
Amid a huge diplomatic row over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada has updated its travel advisory, asking its citizens in India to “remain vigilant and exercise caution.”
“In the context of recent developments in Canada and India, there have been calls for protests and some negative sentiments towards Canada on social media. Remain vigilant and exercise caution,” the Canadian government said in an updated advisory.
Khalistani sympathizers today protested outside the Indian embassies and consulates in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver in Canada against Nijjar’s killing. Protesters – led by members of a pro-Khalistani group – ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) – were seen raising slogans and waving Khalistani flags.
The protests come a week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sparked a massive diplomatic row between the two countries, claiming “Indian government agents” could be behind the Nijjar shooting.
Sources say pro-Khalistani extremists (PKE) have started openly intimidating Hindu minorities there, and many cases of temple mutilations have been reported. “The overt threats by Khalistanis to the physical security of Indian missions and diplomats in Canada are a very serious development and pose a challenge to Canada’s obligations under the Vienna Convention,” said a senior government official who is closely monitoring the situation and asks for anonymity.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said today that Washington has “publicly and privately” urged India to cooperate with Canada’s investigation into Nijjr’s killing. “We believe it is critical that the Canadian investigation continues and that the perpetrators are brought to justice. And we have publicly – and privately – urged the Indian government to cooperate with the Canadian investigation,” he said.
India has dismissed Justin Trudeau’s claim as ‘absurd’. Canada has not shared specific information about its allegations, India said, flagging “politically condoned hate crimes and criminal violence” in that country.
India has also accused Canada of failing to act on “specific evidence of criminal activities” of Canadian-based individuals. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has prepared a list of 19 fugitive Khalistani terrorists living in Britain, US, Canada, Dubai, Pakistan and other countries whose properties are also likely to be seized, sources said.
Justin Trudeau also claimed that such “credible allegations” were shared with India weeks ago. “Canada has shared with India the credible allegations that I spoke about on Monday. We did that weeks ago. We are there to work constructively with India. We hope that they will engage with us so that we can take this to the end.” to get to the bottom of it.” A serious matter,” he said at a press conference on Saturday.
Top US diplomat David Cohen claimed that it was the ‘shared intelligence among the ‘Five Eyes’ partners that prompted Justin Trudeau to make public his major indictment against India. Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair called the relationship with India “important” but asserted that allegations over Nijjar’s killing must be investigated.
Nijjar, 45, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia, Canada, in June. He was head of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force and one of India’s most wanted terrorists.
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