'Not a shred of ...': Indian envoy to Canada denies role in Nijjar killing ahead of departure

The Indian diplomat criticised the Trudeau government’s handling of the situation, asserting that it lacks transparency and cooperation in addressing the concerns raised by India.

Ahead of his departure for New Delhi, India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, has denied any involvement in the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, describing the Canadian government’s allegations as “politically motivated.”

In an exclusive interview with CTV News, Verma stated, “Nothing at all” when asked about any connection to Nijjar’s killing, asserting that “no evidence has been presented” to substantiate Canada’s claims. He firmly rejected the notion that the Indian government targets individuals for assassination, stating, “Never,” which aligns with New Delhi’s previous denials of involvement in the case.

The diplomatic rift between India and Canada has deepened significantly following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s remarks in September 2023, where he cited “credible allegations” linking Indian agents to Nijjar’s murder outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. This led to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, with India expelling six Canadian diplomats in response to Canada’s expulsion of Indian diplomats, including Verma.

Verma also hit back at Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly’s statements regarding evidence implicating Indian diplomats in criminal activities, stating, “Let me see the concrete evidence she’s talking about.” He condemned Nijjar’s killing, asserting, “Any murder is wrong and bad,” but also stated that no substantive evidence has been shared with India.

Verma further stated that “not a shred of evidence has been shared” by Canada regarding the allegations linking India to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He pointed out that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Deputy Commissioner had sought to meet with Indian officials to present evidence but faced obstacles due to “technical” issues, including the lack of proper visas for the delegation.

Verma firmly rejected any insinuation that the Indian government has something to hide, stating, “Absolutely not,” and reiterated that India has been actively requesting evidence from Canada for over a year. The Indian diplomat criticised the Trudeau government’s handling of the situation, asserting that it lacks transparency and cooperation in addressing the concerns raised by India.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has repeatedly pointed to Canada’s inaction regarding pro-Khalistani groups operating within its borders, suggesting that the allegations serve a “political agenda” within Canada centered around “vote bank politics”. Verma claimed that the Indian government had been seeking cooperation from Canada for over a year regarding security-related information but had received no action on its requests.

The escalating tensions highlight a significant downturn in diplomatic relations, with Verma asserting that Trudeau’s reliance on intelligence rather than concrete evidence to make such serious allegations undermines the diplomatic relationship. He stated, “If you want to destroy a relationship, be my guest. And that’s what he (Trudeau) did”.

(With inputs from agencies)