Canada Loses Face In Nijjar Charges: No Proof Yet, Just 'Credible Allegations'
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2023-09-28 06:11:11
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
It is strange that despite having cutting edge technology and huge resources under the Five Eyes intelligence grouping, Canada is yet to apprehend the killers of designated-terrorist (in India) Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Despite not having any leads that could count as solid proof, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chose to cite "credible allegations" to accuse India of having a hand in the murder. He repeated his charge later amidst the diplomatic row between the two countries. It is now clear that Trudeau jumped the gun for what India's External Affairs minister S Jaishankar said was "political convenience" and is being increasingly taken to task for his unwanted statements by politicians and the media back home.
Trudeau has always had a fruitful relationship with Khalistani separatists living in Canada and he uses their influence (obtained by terrorizing the Sikh community in the country, most of whom are not Khalistan supporters) to get votes. His administration has always ignored specific intelligence India has provided about Canadian citizens who were acting against India's interests and indulging in crime and terrorism. Jaishankar has categorically said that separatism, crime and terror have all mixed up in Canada with the government there turning a blind eye to the excesses of the Khalistani elements due to political convenience, which he said was not the correct way to respond to terror. India's requests for extradition of these individuals have also resulted in little action from the government in Canada.
Although Canada's allies in the Five Eyes intelligence group have all said that the charges are serious and India should cooperate in the probe (which India has not refused) the problem is that however "credible" the "allegations" might be, they are just allegations which anyone can make without proof and which Trudeau seems to have done hastily. As long as Canada does not offer any concrete proof of the involvement of the agents of the Indian government in killing Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in Canada, India is right in treating it as a motivated allegation made for political convenience.
