In his first reaction to Canadian leader Justin Trudeau's allegations that the Government of India was behind the murder of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday said that it wasn't New Delhi's policy.
New Delhi 'Open' to Looking at Ottawa's Evidence
"We told the Canadians that this is not the government of India's policy. Secondly, we said if you have something specific and if you have something relevant, let us know. We are open to looking at it...The picture is not complete without the context in a way," Jaishankar said during a public event organized at the American think tank, Council on Foreign Relations, in New York.
Notably, Nijjar was declared a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020. He was wanted in the South Asian country in multiple cases, including for hate crimes.
Secessionist Forces in Canada Involved in Violence and Extremism
Subsequently, India's top diplomat launched a sharp attack on Canada, slamming the Trudeau administration for not taking action against Khalistan separatists residing in the North American country.
Ripping into the Canadian authorities, he reiterated India's position about Canada, wherein New Delhi described the sovereign state as a "safe haven" for extremists and terrorists.
Jaishankar pointed out that Ottawa has allowed secessionist forces to flourish in Canada, who are now unleashing the mayhem of "organized crime, violence and extremism" there.
"In the last few years, Canada actually has seen a lot of organized crime, relating to the secessionist forces, organized crime, violence and extremism. They're all very, very deeply mixed up," he added.
Trudeau Administration Hasn't Paid Heed to India's Concerns
Jaishankar, known for not mincing his words, emphasized that New Delhi has sent multiple dossiers to Ottawa, regarding Khalistan extremists, including multiple extradition requests, but Canada chose to ignore them.
"We have given them a lot of information about organized crime and leadership, which operates out of Canada. There are a large number of extradition requests. There are terrorist leaders, who have been identified," the EAM stressed.
Khalistan Movement Flourishing in Canada Due to Political Reasons
Also, Jaishankar highlighted the incidents of vandalism of Hindu temples, violent protests against Indian establishments, and threats to Indian missions and diplomats in Canada.
He asserted that such acts were being allowed by the Trudeau government due to political compulsions.
"Our concern is that it's really been very permissive, because of political reasons. So we have a situation where our diplomats are threatened, our consulates have been attacked...A lot of this is often justified, as saying that's how democracies work," Jaishankar elaborated.