The United States sided with Canada's version of the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, saying Tuesday that India has chosen not to cooperate in the investigation.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said during a press briefing, "We wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path…
The row, which emerged a day after fresh diplomatic tensions arose between India and Canada, was sparked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusation that India was supporting "violent criminal activities" on Canadian soil. India, while rejecting the allegations, expelled top Canadian diplomats as a result of the standoff.
India also claimed that Canada has not given "a shred of evidence" so far in the matter and despite many requests from it. While Canada said that India was cooperating in the probe.
On Monday, the Centre said it had rejected Canada's diplomatic communication from a day earlier, labelling Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and other officials as "persons of interest" in an unspecified investigation.
On the same day, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Michael Duheme and Assistant Commissioner Brigitte Gauvin held a press conference accusing six Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Verma, of participating in the "campaign of violence" led by the Indian government.
In response, India dismissed the charges as a baseless targeting of Indian officials in Canada and summoned Canada's Charge d'Affaires Stewart Wheeler over the matter. Stating that India has lost faith in the Trudeau administration, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that it had decided to withdraw Verma and other targeted diplomats and officials.
Subsequently, the Centre ordered six Canadian diplomats, including Wheeler, to leave the country by Saturday. The ministry also criticized Trudeau, linking his allegations to domestic vote-bank politics.
In the tit-for-tat move, Canada expelled six diplomats, including Verma. In a statement, Trudeau said the six officials were served a deportation notice as the evidence against them could not be ignored, stating that it was necessary to "disrupt the criminal activities that continue to pose a threat to public safety in Canada."
In the squabble, some community representatives in British Columbia have demanded that Indian consulates in Vancouver and Toronto be closed for their "safety."
The US described the allegations as extremely serious and noted that India was cooperating. The US also stated India had taken seriously the allegations over a foiled plot to kill separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US citizen.
Yesterday, India sent an investigating committee to Washington DC to look into US claims of Indian government official involvement in a plot to kill Pannun. An Indian national, Nikhil Gupta faces, the charges by US prosecutors in the case.
Read also| India Says Islamabad Disappointed by Emergence of Real Democracy in Kashmir
Read also| US Acknowledges Indian Probe Team’s Visit as Reflecting New Delhi’s Serious Intent
