Trudeau’s Statements Inconsistent Since Diplomatic Row Broke Out Over Nijjar Killing: Sources – News18

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statements since the diplomatic freeze between Ottawa and New Delhi over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar have not been consistent, top government sources told News18.

Officials said Trudeau went against diplomatic norms by “wrongly” naming India for a crime committed in Canada. “Nijjar was constantly in touch with Canadian intelligence agencies. Why was he not given protection then? Trudeau should retract his statement and stop defaming India,” an official said.

A diplomatic spat had erupted between India and Canada after Trudeau said in September that there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing of Nijjar in suburban Vancouver in western Canada. Nijjar was a 45-year-old Khalistani sympathiser who was killed by masked gunmen in June in Surrey, outside Vancouver.

India has accused Canada of harboring separatists and “terrorists,” but dismissed the Canadian allegation of its involvement in the killing as “absurd.”

Questions have been raised as to why Nijjar was only warned about the threat to him but not offered protection. “Why was he only advised and not protected? Why close proximity protection was not given to him if credible intelligence was available against Indian agents?” an official questioned.

India last month announced an easing of its visa ban on Canadian nationals imposed more than a month ago. The announcement came days after Canada said it was recalling 41 of its 62 diplomats in India. That decision came after Canada said New Delhi warned it would strip their diplomatic immunity — something Canadian officials characterized as a violation of the Geneva Convention.

The Indian government last week rejected any notion that it violated international law in asking Canada to recall diplomats so that both governments have roughly the same number stationed in each country.