EAM S Jaishankar dismisses Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing intel query as 'misdirected'
New Delhi, September 27: In a recent diplomatic development, India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, reiterated India's position on the allegations made by Canada regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Jaishankar emphasised that India does not engage in such activities as a matter of policy, sparking a diplomatic row between the two nations. This controversy was set in motion when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that his government possessed "credible allegations" of India's involvement in the June killing of Nijjar on Canadian soil.
Speaking at the Council for Foreign Relations in New York, Jaishankar drew attention to the issue of organised crime in Canada, specifically highlighting its connection to secessionist forces, violence, and extremism. He expressed concern over Canada's seeming tolerance of such activities for political reasons.
The situation escalated further when a US diplomat alleged the existence of "shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners," which prompted Trudeau's accusation regarding the involvement of Indian agents in the killing.
When questioned by a reporter on the matter, Jaishankar deflected, stating, "I'm not part of The Five Eyes, I'm certainly not part of the FBI. So I think you're asking the wrong person."
Jaishankar assured Canada that if specific information regarding Nijjar's killing were provided, India would take appropriate action, emphasising their willingness to investigate the matter. He reiterated that such actions did not align with the Indian government's policy, adding, "We told the Canadians that this is not the government of India's policy. Secondly, we said if you have something specific and if you have something relevant, let us know. We are open to looking at it...The picture is not complete without the context in a way."
Earlier at the 78th UN General Assembly, Jaishankar urged UN member states to resist "political convenience" in their responses to terrorism and violence, implicitly criticising Canada's stance. He also stressed that respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs should be universal principles, indicating that the era of a few nations dictating the agenda for the rest of the world has come to an end. Many have interpreted this as a veiled critique directed at both China and Canada.
- With inputs from agencies
