As the diplomatic row between India and Canada makes global headlines, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a shocking admission during a public inquiry on Wednesday.
Trudeau’s admission at public inquiry
Trudeau says that Canada had no “hard evidentiary proof” to support allegations linking Indian government agents to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.
This testimony is the latest update in the India-Canada diplomatic standoff, which escalated following these accusations in 2023.
Speaking during a public inquiry into alleged foreign interference in Canada’s federal electoral processes and democratic institutions, Trudeau said categorically that his allegations about India’s involvement were based on intelligence rather than conclusive evidence.
“I was briefed on the fact that there was intelligence from Canada, and possibly from Five Eyes allies that made it fairly clear, incredibly clear, that India was involved in this… Agents of the government of India were involved in the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil,” said the Canadian Prime Minister.
What is the Five Eyes Network?
It is important to note that the Five Eyes network, comprising Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, focuses on surveillance and signals intelligence (SIGINT). Trudeau claims that the information provided to him was “alarming” enough for the Canadian government to take action.
Trudeau had alleged that Indian diplomats were engaged in gathering information on Canadians who were critical of the Narendra Modi government, with this data reportedly being passed to senior Indian officials and criminal organizations, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
The Lawrence Bishnoi Gang
For background, the Bishnoi gang, is currently making headlines in India for its involvement in organised crime.
Reportedly, Bishnoi is currently imprisoned in the Indian state of Gujarat, in the Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad. He made headlines at the age of 31 when he was linked with the killing of hip-hop icon and rapper Sidhu Moose Wala, on May 29, 2022. Moose Wala was also a member of India’s opposition Congress party. Bishnoi’s associates claimed responsibility for the murder as part of an inter-gang rivalry.
At present, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder of a 66-year-old Muslim politician, Baba Siddique, in India’s financial capital, Mumbai.
India-Canada diplomatic row
It all began when India expelled six Canadian diplomats following Trudeau’s allegations. India also recalled its High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, as part of the escalating diplomatic row.
Canada alleges that India did not cooperate with the ongoing probe. India dismisses all these allegations as “baseless”.
India responds to Trudeau’s testimony
In a late night post by the India’s foreign ministry, the government reiterated its stand on the diplomatic fallout with Canada, saying “Canada has presented us with no evidence whatsoever”.
Our response to media queries regarding PM of Canada’s deposition at the Commission of Inquiry: https://t.co/JI4qE3YK39 pic.twitter.com/1W8mel5DJe
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 16, 2024
In its terse-but-sharp response to Mr Trudeau’s deposition at the Commission of Inquiry, the foreign ministry wrote in its post-midnight statement that “What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along – Canada has presented us (India) no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats”
Putting the onus of the grave diplomatic situation entirely on the incumbent Prime Minister of Canada’s conduct, the statement noted that “The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone.”
