Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in Parliament on September 18th that the Indian government was likely to be involved in the murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia (BC) on June 18th. He announced that he is investigating.
During his lifetime, Mr. Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, served as president of a Sikh temple in Saleh and supported Sikh independence from India. Nijjar’s murder sparked outrage among Sikhs across Canada, with some questioning the involvement of the Indian government.
Prime Minister Trudeau said, “For a foreign government to be involved in the murder of a Canadian in Canada is a violation of national sovereignty,” and has called on the Indian government to cooperate with the investigation. The Indian government rejected it. He accused the Canadian government of allowing “separatist terrorists” to run wild.
On the 19th, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced that a senior Indian diplomat had been repatriated, and hours later, the Indian government announced the repatriation of a Canadian diplomat. “India is concerned about Canadian diplomats’ interference in internal affairs and involvement in anti-government activities,” the statement said.