“India Needs To Take This Seriously”, PM Trudeau After US Indictment Backs Canada’s Stance on Nijjar Killing

The Canadian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have responded to charges by US federal prosecutors accusing an “identified Indian government employee” of ordering the murder of a US citizen and potentially overseeing the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly refrained from commenting on the US criminal case but emphasized the need for India’s cooperation in tracking down Nijjar’s killers. She asserted, “We stand by our own credible allegations that there was a killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil, linking to Indian agents.” Joly urged India to participate in Canada’s investigation and mentioned discussions with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, emphasizing the importance of their cooperation.

Expressing displeasure at India’s expulsion of 41 Canadian diplomats, Joly expressed hope for their return, stating, “It is my hope that the 41 diplomats, who should be working right now in India, are allowed back.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoed Joly’s sentiments, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. He urged India to collaborate in getting to the bottom of the matter, stating, “The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we’ve been talking about from the very beginning: which is India needs to take this seriously.”

On November 29, US federal prosecutors filed charges in a New York court detailing a plot to kill a US citizen running a separatist organization, orchestrated by an “identified Indian government employee.” The accused individuals, Nikhil Gupta and ‘CC-1’ (the Indian government employee), operated from India. The indictment also implicated the Indian official in the assassination of Hardeep Nijjar in Canada on June 18, 2023, supporting Trudeau’s earlier claim of ‘credible allegations’ linking the Indian government to the killing.

Parvasi Media Group