The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (September 21) said that India is in constant touch with its allies and partners to make its position on Canada's allegations clear.
"We have ongoing conversations with partners, and we have made our position very clear," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a press conference, responding to a question on Canadian authorities being in constant touch with its G7 and Five-Eyes partners over the issue.
India rejects Trudeau's remark
Bagchi added that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the issue of Indian involvement in Canadian affairs with PM Modi recently, only for the allegations to be "completely rejected". Bagchi said Ottawa failed to share any specific evidence to support its claim.
The Canadian PM sparked off a diplomatic rift when he informed the country's parliament about an ongoing investigation into India's involvement in the killing of a Khalistani leader.
"Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar," Trudeau said while speaking at the House of Commons in Ottawa.
Punjab-born Canada-based Nijjar was designated a 'terrorist' by India in 2020. He was shot dead by unknown assailants near a gurdwara in Surrey in June this year. The 45-year-old was the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
Not about individual groups
"The issue is larger. This is not about individual groups. I think we should look at it on the larger issue of elements linked to organised crimes, terrorist, secessionist or extremist movements who are operating freely," Bagchi added.
Calling allegations levelled by the Canadian PM and Foreign Minister politically driven, Bagchi called to focus on anti-india forces in Canada in general, which has found "a perfect breeding space" since the 1980s.
On the hostile situation for foreign service personnel and staff stationed in Canada, the MEA Spokesperson called on the North American state to provide adequate security to under the Vienna Convention, 1951.
The current diplomatic standoff between the two countries also resulted in the expulsion of senior diplomats, with Canada saying the expelled diplimat is linked to an Indian intelligence service.
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