Canada Expels Indian Diplomats Over Nijjar Case
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, announced the expulsion of Indian diplomats based on evidence from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist by India. Joly urged India to support the investigation for mutual benefit. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized Canada’s intolerance for foreign threats on its soil and urged India to cooperate.
Trudeau’s Statement
Trudeau stated that Canada is committed to the rule of law and protecting its citizens. He highlighted evidence from the RCMP suggesting Indian government agents were involved in Nijjar’s murder and other threatening activities. Despite attempts to collaborate with India, Canadian officials were met with refusal, leading to the expulsion of six Indian diplomats.
India’s Response
In retaliation, India expelled six Canadian diplomats, citing baseless targeting of its officials in Canada. India expressed concerns over the safety of its diplomats and accused the Canadian government of supporting extremism. The Indian government withdrew its High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and other diplomats.
Background
The diplomatic tensions arose after Trudeau’s allegations of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing, which India has denied. Nijjar was killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.
Doubts Revealed
Nijjar Case -: The Nijjar Case refers to the situation involving Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a person whose killing has led to tensions between Canada and India. Canada accuses India of being involved in his death, which India denies.
RCMP -: RCMP stands for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is the national police service of Canada, similar to the Indian Police Service (IPS) in India.
Expulsion of Diplomats -: Expulsion of diplomats means that a country asks foreign diplomats to leave their country. This usually happens when there are serious disagreements or tensions between the two countries.
Foreign Affairs Minister -: The Foreign Affairs Minister is a government official responsible for managing a country’s relationships with other countries. In Canada, Melanie Joly is the person holding this position.
Prime Minister Trudeau -: Prime Minister Trudeau refers to Justin Trudeau, who is the current Prime Minister of Canada. He is like the head of the government, similar to the Prime Minister of India.
Foreign threats -: Foreign threats refer to actions or situations from other countries that could harm a nation’s security or interests. In this context, Canada is concerned about actions it believes India might have taken.