The diplomatic row between India and Canada deepened after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made fresh charges against the Indian government on Saturday.
According to Trudeau, who has blamed "agents of the Indian government" for the killing of Khalistani militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian national, Ottawa's "credible allegations" were taken up with Indian authorities "weeks ago".
"Canada has shared the credible allegations that I talked about on Monday with India. We did that many weeks ago. We are there to work constructively with India. We hope that they engage with us so that we can get to the bottom of this very serious matter," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa.
Trudeau's Bombshell Escalates Tensions
This comes after Trudeau on Monday dropped a bombshell by linking Nijjar's murder to India.
Incidentally, Nijjar was wanted in the South Asian country for hate crimes and carried an INR 1 million ($12000) bounty on his head.
New Delhi was prompt and stern in dismissing his allegations.
Canada's Accusations 'Politically Motivated'
Subsequently, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that Canada's accusations were "prejudiced" and politically motivated.
Moreover, a MEA official also emphasized that Canada has not offered any "specific information" to prove its claims.
On the other hand, Arindam Bagchi, the MEA spokesman, highlighted how the North American sovereign state had transformed into a "safe haven" for terrorists and extremists before warning Canada of being concerned about its international reputation.
"Canada should worry about its growing reputation of being a safe haven for extremists and terrorists," Bagchi pointed out.
Canada Ignores India's Concerns
Relations between India and Canada have remained tense for years, with New Delhi miffed with Ottawa over its inaction against Khalistani sympathizers there.
Furthermore, the present rift was in the making for months, with Khalistani activists threatening Indian diplomats, attacking the country's missions, and vandalizing Hindu places of worship in Canada.
Despite India taking up all these matters with the Trudeau administration, his government failed to take any concrete steps to protect Indian interests in Canada.
New Delhi, Ottawa's Tit-for-Tat Moves
The relations between the two countries, however, hit rock bottom following Trudeau's accusations and in tit-for-tat moves, both nations expelled senior diplomats.
Additionally, India has stopped processing visas for its embassy in Ottawa and consulates in Vancouver and Toronto.
Plus, New Delhi has asked Canada to trim its diplomatic presence in India.