No proof supplied by Canadian govt on allegations over killing of Nijjar: India

Amid the continuing diplomatic row between India and Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday mentioned that no data has been shared by Canada relating to the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

“We are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us, but so far we have received no specific information from Canada,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi mentioned on Thursday answering queries.

“From our side, specific evidence about criminal activities by individuals based on Canadian soil has been shared with Canada but not acted upon…Yes, I do think there is a degree of prejudice here. They have made allegations and taken action on them. To us, it seems that these allegations by the government of Canada are primarily politically driven,” Bagchi added.

The spokesperson confronted a volley of questions over the row between the 2 nations following the tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats.  

Bagchi additionally mentioned the Canadian authorities has been knowledgeable of “parity” in diplomatic presence.

“We informed the Canadian government to have parity with diplomatic presence, their numbers are higher and I assume there will be a reduction,” he mentioned.

Bilateral relations between India and Canada have hit a downward spiral after Prime Minister Trudeau on Monday alleged that “Indian agents” had been behind the taking pictures of Hardeep Nijjar.

Visa companies supplier BLS International has with instant impact suspended Indian visa companies in Canada.

BLS International Services Limited is an Indian outsourcing service supplier for presidency and diplomatic missions worldwide. The firm manages visa, passport, consular, attestation and citizen companies.

“Due to operation reasons, with immediate effect i.e. September 21, 2023, Indian visa services in Canada have been suspended till further notice,” the corporate knowledgeable inventory exchanges in a submitting on Thursday.

Nijjar, chief of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and a “designated terrorist” was killed in a focused taking pictures at British Columbia in Canada’s Surrey in June 2018.

India has rejected the allegations by the Trudeau administration, terming them “absurd” and “motivated”.

“We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated,”  MEA had mentioned in an announcement.

“Similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister and were completely rejected. We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to the rule of law,” it added.

India on Tuesday expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a reciprocal transfer to Canada expelling a senior Indian diplomat in gentle of the declare of New Delhi’s involvement within the killing of the needed separatist chief.

The MEA had mentioned that the Canadian diplomat was requested to go away India throughout the subsequent 5 days.

(This information report is printed from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content material has not been written or edited by OpIndia workers)