Ministry of external affairs has expressed deep concerns over the Canadian government’s failure to take action against anti-India elements operating within its borders. Despite Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s claims of support for the ‘One India’ policy, the Ministry argues that there is a significant gap between his statements and the actions taken against those promoting separatism and disunity.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal today said, “We have seen those comments from Prime Minister Trudeau asserting his belief in the One India policy. However, so far, the actions we have requested against anti-India elements—who undermine One India, call for dismemberment of the nation, and espouse separatist ideologies—have not been taken.”
He highlighted that over the last two decades, there have been 26 pending Indian extradition requests with Canada, including individuals associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police previously accused Indian government agents of being linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver. This case has intensified the strain in diplomatic relations between India and Canada.
During a weekly press conference, Jaiswal said, “We have shared security-related information with the Canadian government regarding gang members, including those of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and requested them to arrest or take appropriate legal action.”
Bishnoi, 31, is identified by India’s top investigative agency as the leader of a “terror-crime syndicate” operating from various prisons in India.
Diplomatic ties further deteriorated after Trudeau alleged in the Canadian Parliament last year that he had “credible allegations” implicating India in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This assertion led to Canada’s designation of India’s High Commissioner and other diplomats as “persons of interest” in the investigation into Nijjar’s death. Nijjar, who was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year, had been designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020.
In response, India recalled its High Commissioner and five other diplomats from Canada. The ministry of external affairs said that India summoned Canada’s acting High Commissioner to express concerns about the safety of Indian diplomats.
“We summoned the acting High Commissioner of Canada and conveyed our lack of faith in the Canadian government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of our diplomats. Consequently, we decided to withdraw our High Commissioner along with five other diplomats. Thereafter, we received communication from the Canadian side asking them to leave, but we had already acted on our decision,” Jaiswal explained.
On Wednesday, Trudeau acknowledged that his government had not provided India with solid evidence, only intelligence, regarding the killing of Nijjar. He stated at Canada’s foreign interference inquiry that India has been requesting evidence for the allegations made against it.
“Behind the scenes, we were trying to get India to cooperate with us. Their request was to provide evidence. Our response was that this information lies within your security agency. You should engage with them… ‘No, no, but show us the evidence.’ At that point, it was primarily intelligence, not hard evidentiary proof. So we suggested working together,” Trudeau said.
The MEA responded, asserting that Trudeau’s statements “only confirm” India’s consistent position. “What we heard today reinforces our claims—Canada has provided no evidence whatsoever to support the serious allegations it has leveled against India and Indian diplomats,” the MEA spokesperson said.
“The responsibility for the damage caused to India-Canada relations lies solely with Prime Minister Trudeau,” he added.
India has categorically denied all allegations, labeling them as “absurd” and “motivated,” while accusing Canada of harboring extremist and anti-India elements.
“We find it really strange,” Jaiswal remarked, noting that the RCMP was attributing blame to India for crimes committed by individuals “whom we asked to be deported and on whom we requested action be taken.”