Ottawa: In a big confession, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said that there was no evidence against New Delhi when he made claims last September about India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau revealed that when India asked for evidence, at that time it was only intelligence.
"We chose to continue to work behind the scenes to try and get India to cooperate with us… And our response was, well, it's within your security agencies, you should be looking into how much they know you should be engaging,' Trudeau stated.
"And at that point, it was primarily intelligence, not hard evidentiary proof," he added. The Canadian Prime Minister made these remarks while testifying before the Canadian Parliament’s Foreign Interference Commission.
Trudeau's Statement:
#Breaking | India-Canada Diplomatic Row’Confession’ by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, says ‘had intel info, not evidence…’@MadhavGK with more details. pic.twitter.com/LbkV7zBqbW
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 16, 2024
While appearing before the commission, Trudeau said that "One India' is Canada's official policy. However, in the garb of Freedom of Speech, he refused to take action against Khalistani separatists in Canada that are propagating anti- India sentiments. Trudeau revealed that in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the New Delhi G20 Summit last year, the Indian PM raised concerns over Khalistani separatists' anti-India activities in Canada.
"And I tried to explain that freedom of speech and freedom of people who come to our country to be Canadians, to criticize governments overseas is, or indeed to criticize a Canadian government, is a fundamental freedom of Canada," Trudeau said.
The Canadian PM continued his rant against India. He once again alleged India's involvement in Nijjar's killing and said that New Delhi had committed a "massive mistake".
The Canadian PM said ithere is credible intelligence that "agents of the Indian government" were involved in Nijar's killing. "Intel from Canada and possibly from 5 Eyes that the Indian Government was involved in the Nijjar killing. It is a violation of sovereignty, rule of law, few democracy," he added.
A diplomatic row escalated between India and Canada on Tuesday over allegations of the Government of India's involvement in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023. India announced withdrawing its high commissioner and other "targeted diplomats and officials" from Canada after strongly dismissing Ottawa's allegations linking the envoy to an investigation into the killing of Nijjar.
Further, New Delhi also suspended six Canadian diplomates including Acting High Commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler, Deputy High Commissioner Patrick Hebert, First Secretary Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary Ross David Trites, First Secretary Adam James Chuipka and First Secretary Paula Orjuela.