Indian Envoy Sanjay Kumar Verma Denies Charges in Hardeep Singh Nijjar Case
Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, has firmly denied the allegations made by Canada regarding his involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In an interview with CTV News, Verma reiterated that no evidence has been shared by Ottawa and described the accusations as politically motivated.
Verma was among six Indian diplomats recalled after Canada labeled them as “persons of interest” in the case. He stated, “No evidence presented. Politically motivated,” and questioned the evidence mentioned by Canada’s foreign minister, Melanie Joy.
Verma clarified that he never directed or coerced individuals to gather information on pro-Khalistani activists, including Nijjar. He explained that monitoring such elements is a matter of national interest, and his team uses open sources like newspapers and social media to gather information.
Condemning Nijjar’s murder, Verma emphasized India’s stance against extrajudicial killings, stating, “Any murder is wrong and bad. I do condemn.” He also expressed concern over Canada’s handling of the investigation, referencing 26 dossiers sent by India seeking cooperation.
The diplomatic relations between India and Canada have been strained since Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau alleged India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing. India has denied these claims, calling them “absurd” and “motivated,” and accused Canada of harboring extremist elements.
Doubts Revealed
Indian Envoy -: An Indian envoy is a representative or diplomat from India who works in another country to manage relations between the two countries. In this case, Sanjay Kumar Verma is the Indian envoy to Canada.
Sanjay Kumar Verma -: Sanjay Kumar Verma is an Indian diplomat who serves as the High Commissioner to Canada. A High Commissioner is like an ambassador but between Commonwealth countries like India and Canada.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar -: Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a person involved with the Khalistani movement, which seeks to create a separate country for Sikhs. He was labeled as a terrorist by India.
Khalistani -: Khalistani refers to the movement that wants to create a separate nation for Sikhs called Khalistan. This movement has been controversial and is not supported by the Indian government.
Politically motivated -: Politically motivated means that the actions or accusations are influenced by political reasons rather than based on facts or evidence. It suggests that politics is the main reason behind the allegations.
Diplomatic tension -: Diplomatic tension refers to strained or difficult relations between two countries. In this case, it means that India and Canada are having disagreements and conflicts over the issue.
Persons of interest -: Persons of interest are people who are being looked at closely by authorities because they might be involved in or have information about a crime or incident. Canada labeled some Indian diplomats as persons of interest in this case.
