Canadian report finds ‘no definitive hyperlink’ of India’s position in Nijjar killing, contradicting Trudeau’s claims

A Canadian fee report has concluded that there’s “no definitive hyperlink” to a “international state” within the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, contradicting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims of Indian brokers’ involvement.

In September 2023, Trudeau stated that Canada had credible proof indicating that Indian authorities brokers had been concerned in Nijjar’s homicide in British Columbia in June 2023.

The report, titled ‘Public Inquiry Into International Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Establishments,’ was launched on Tuesday.

Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue stated within the report that “disinformation is used as a retaliatory tactic to punish choices that run opposite to a state’s pursuits,” suggesting that India might have engaged in disinformation concerning Nijjar’s killing.

“This will likely have been the case with a disinformation marketing campaign that adopted the Prime Minister’s announcement concerning suspected Indian involvement within the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (although once more no definitive hyperlink to a international state could possibly be confirmed),” PTI quoted the report as saying.

Nijjar was shot and killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.

The 123-page report additionally addressed the expulsion of six Indian diplomats.

“In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officers in response to a focused marketing campaign towards Canadian residents by brokers linked to the Authorities of India,” the report stated.

Nevertheless, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and introduced the withdrawal of its excessive commissioner.

The relations between India and Canada got here underneath extreme pressure following Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations in September final yr of the “potential” involvement of Indian brokers within the killing of Nijjar.

New Delhi had rejected Trudeau’s fees as “absurd”.

India has repeatedly criticised Trudeau’s authorities for being gentle on supporters of the Khalistan motion who stay in Canada. The Khalistan motion is banned in India however has assist among the many Sikh diaspora, significantly in Canada.

On Tuesday, India strongly rejected “insinuations” made towards it within the report by a Canadian fee that investigated allegations that sure international governments had been meddling in Canada’s elections.

In a powerful response, the MEA in New Delhi stated it rejects the report’s “insinuations” on India.

It’s actually Canada which has been “persistently interfering” in India’s inner affairs, it stated.

With inputs from businesses