India's Diplomat Blames Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau for Hurting Relations Between the Two Countries

India’s top diplomat in Canada has accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of damaging the relationship between India and Canada. The diplomat said Trudeau made false claims, blaming India for the killing of a Khalistani separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, without real evidence. He also said the accusations were politically motivated.

Recently, India sent six Canadian diplomats back to their country and called back its High Commissioner in Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, after rejecting Trudeau's claims. Canada, in return, also sent six Indian diplomats home.

In an interview with a Canadian TV channel, Sanjay Verma said that Trudeau's allegations were based on intelligence reports, not hard evidence. "When he made the accusations, he admitted there was no solid proof. He based it on intelligence, and that’s what ruined the relationship between our countries," Verma said.

Last week, during a public inquiry in Canada, Trudeau admitted that he didn't have concrete evidence when he accused Indian government agents of being involved in Nijjar's killing. Verma strongly denied any involvement in the murder and said the accusations were politically driven.

Nijjar, labeled a terrorist by India, was killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2022. Verma criticized the Canadian government for not providing proper evidence before making the accusations. He mentioned that instead of sharing evidence, Trudeau made the claims publicly in Canada’s Parliament, worsening relations between the two nations.

The relationship between India and Canada has been tense since September last year when Trudeau first made the claims about India’s involvement in Nijjar's death. India has firmly denied these allegations, calling them “absurd.”

India’s main complaint has been that Canada allows pro-Khalistan groups to operate freely from its land. India also said that Canada has not shared any real evidence linking Indian agents to Nijjar's murder, despite what Canada claims.