By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
NEW DELHI/OTTAWA (Worthy News) – Canada has expelled six Indian diplomats, including the country’s high commissioner, over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
The assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot outside a temple in British Columbia last year, appeared to be part of an effort by India to target Indian dissidents in Canada and the United States, according to investigators.
India retaliated by ordering the expulsion of six high-ranking Canadian diplomats.
The Indian government also said it “had withdrawn its envoy from Canada,” contradicting Canada’s expulsion statement.
Amid the turmoil, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the deportation of diplomats, saying he had evidence linking Indian agents to the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian territory.
Trudeau told reporters that the government now has “clear and compelling evidence that agents of the government of India have engaged in and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety. ”
US EXPULSIONS
The expulsions of diplomats by Canada come after the neighboring United States detained Indian Nikhil Gupta, 52, who was arrested in the Czech Republic a year ago and recently appeared in a Manhattan federal court.
Gupta is accused of “trying to arrange the murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American citizen and lawyer for a New York-based Sikh secessionist group.”
The Cold War-style diplomatic wrangling between the two Commonwealth nations could not have come at a worse moment for Canada and the United States.
Both nations had hoped to improve ties with India, in part to limit China’s expansion and influence in Asia, where Beijing seeks to annex democratically-ruled Taiwan.
The Chinese government also has close ties with Moscow and supports Russia’s war in Ukraine, further worrying its neighbors.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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