US on Nijjar’s killing: “We wanted India and Canada to cooperate, but…”
India-Canada Diplomatic Ties: PM Modi and Trudeau are at odds over Canada's allegations (File).
New Delhi: The US has called on India to cooperate with Canada’s investigation into “extremely serious allegations” linking “agents” of the Indian government with the killing of Khalistani terrorist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver in June last year.
At a press briefing in Washington, DC on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the US has made it clear that Canada’s allegations “need to be taken seriously”.
Responding to a question from a US reporter on the ‘second round’ of the Delhi-Ottawa crisis, Mr Miller said, “As far as the Canadian case is concerned, we have made it clear that the allegations are extremely serious. We wanted the Indian government to cooperate with Canada… obviously they have not chosen that path.”
The US also exercised restraint on Tuesday and stressed the need for cooperation between the two countries since the dispute began in September last year.
“I have no further comment other than what both countries have said publicly. We have urged them to cooperate and will continue to urge them to do so,” Mr Miller said.
New Delhi has not yet reacted to these comments but has repeatedly rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”. Delhi has repeatedly sought evidence and also pointed out that these allegations have been made due to Mr Trudeau’s low popularity ahead of next year’s general election.
Meanwhile, Mr Miller also underlined the strength of India-US relations.
He said, “India remains an incredibly strong partner. We have worked with them on a number of matters, including our shared vision for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific, and when we have concerns, we can take those concerns to them and have a frank conversation…”
The India-Canada crisis that has been going on for the past 18 months began in September last year when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Delhi’s “agents” of being involved in Nijjar’s killing. He claimed that “credible information” was shared with intelligence partners, including the US.
India, however, has said it has not been presented with evidence to support the allegations.
The allegations levelled in September led to tensions, including a sharp reaction from the Indian side and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the expulsion of diplomats.
Relations further soured this week after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said that “agents” of the Indian government had colluded with organised criminal elements, particularly the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, to target “(Canada’s) South Asian community… particularly pro-Khalistani elements”.
This was followed by a press conference by Mr Trudeau in which he backed the police allegations and criticised “a fundamental error” – that India thinks it can “support criminal activity against Canadians on Canadian soil”.
“Whether it’s murder or extortion or other violent acts, it’s absolutely unacceptable,” Mr Trudeau said, also claiming that his administration had “shared our concerns” with Delhi.
He said Canadian police had spoken to Indian government officials but were rebuffed.
The Canadian federal police’s claims resulted in another round of expulsions of diplomats from both sides; This time Ottawa named India’s High Commissioner, career diplomat Sanjay Kumar Verma, as a ‘person of interest’ in an ongoing criminal investigation and removed him.
India retaliated by expelling Canada’s acting High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler and five of his staff and formally recalling Mr Verma and his staff due to security concerns.
Nijjar, the mastermind of banned terror group Khalistan Tiger Force, was on Delhi’s ‘most wanted’ list of terrorists for several crimes, including the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab. Counter-terror agency NIA had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to his capture.
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