A desperate Justin Trudeau is keen on Sikh support to save himself in Parliament next year and has decided to give primacy to his domestic constituency rather than diplomatic relations, top Intelligence sources told CNN-News18, explaining the Canadian prime minister’s stand amid heightened tensions between Canada and India over the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa reached a new high on Monday as Canada levelled serious charges against Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, terming him a person of interest in an investigation, without naming the case.
Responding to the claims, the Ministry of External Affairs released a scathing statement, saying that Canada did not share a “shred of evidence of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing” despite repeated requests and accused Trudeau of doing vote bank politics and not doing enough to tackle separatist elements on Canadian soil.
Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed by unidentified gunmen outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, on June 18, 2023. Sources said, for the past one year, India has been asking for evidence in the case related to the killing, but has got no response in black and white from Canada.
The Intel sources on Tuesday said Trudeau needs NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s support for his survival and wants to stay in power to run a minority government.
“Jagmeet Singh is a Khalistani supporter because of his vote bank. He has told Trudeau clearly that to gain support from Sikhs, he needs to revive the Khalistani issue. However, Trudeau is losing his grip over mainstream voters of Canada and even the moderate voters are not with him,” they said.
The sources added: “They are basically projecting Khalistan, Operation Bluestar and Bhindranwale to the generation born after 1984. The Khalistanis have raised a large terror force within Canada and are carrying out killings, bomb blasts and non-state activities.”
News18 had earlier reported that Canada is becoming the hub of gangsters and Khalistani goons and criminals who are given shelter, visa and citizenship on fast-track basis.
“The Indian government is clear that the Trudeau government is not cooperating on many extradition requests we made. On a daily basis, Sikh for Justice’s (SFJ) Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has been threatening Indian diplomats on social media and running illegal activities in India, including killings,” said sources.
India on Monday withdrew its diplomats from Canada, following which the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accused New Delhi of direct involvement in ‘serious criminal activity’ on its soil.
Though Ottawa didn’t back its claims again with any evidence, it alleged that ‘agents’ of the Indian government in Ottawa are allegedly working with Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang to target pro-Khalistani elements.
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