Canada has dismissed six Indian diplomats including the high commissioner after allegations that its Indian undercover agents were involved in other criminal activities such as homicides and harassing Sikh separatists in the country. This major step making by Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly after Canadian police collected enough evidence that incriminated these diplomats for violent behaviors.
The decision has further strained diplomatic relations between the two countries with India responding by throwing out six Canadian diplomats including the acting high commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler. Bilateral ties between the two countries have deteriorated after Canadian leader Justin Trudeau blamed India of involvement in the shooting death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a separatist Sikh militant in Canada.
During a press briefing, Trudeau called on the India government to stop backing acts of crime against Canadians arguing that such actions are inadmissible for any country claiming to be democratic. He continued to argue that the RCMP discovered that Indian diplomats routinely spy on Canadians to help them stage violent actions including extortion and murder.
In response, the Indian officials denied the fraus allegations referring them as politically motivated. They dismissed any allegation of diplomats doing the wrong thing and dismissed the allegations as rogue attempt to slander India.
The RCMP admitted that since September of 2023, they have been dealing with threats against Indian government agents in Canada because of several credible threats against the South Asian community, particularly those supporting a pro-Khalistan movement. The conclusions associated Indian officials with violent extremism and the criminal organization threatening Canada’s Sikh community.
However, Canada has not given up on applying pressure for Indian assistance on the ongoing probe, especially on the Nijjar’s assassination. Canada has also arrested some people of India in connection with the murder, however India has never taken any responsibility for the incident.
Any activism for a Sikh nation of Khalistan has been illegal in India for many years. But the movement has been welcomed by the Sikh community especially in places such as Canada where activists enjoy freedom of speech.
