Canada expelled a prime Indian diplomat as it investigates what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau referred to as credible allegations its authorities could have had hyperlinks to the assassination in Canada of a Sikh activist, an accusation that India rejected as “absurd.”

Trudeau mentioned in Parliament on Monday that Canadian intelligence companies have been wanting into the allegations after Sikh chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a robust supporter of an unbiased Sikh homeland recognized as Khalistan, was gunned down on June 18 exterior a Sikh cultural middle in Surrey, British Columbia.

Trudeau instructed Parliament that he introduced up the slaying with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the G20 final week. He mentioned he instructed Modi that any Indian authorities involvement can be unacceptable and that he requested for cooperation within the investigation.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly mentioned the top of Indian intelligence in Canada has been expelled as a consequence.

“If proven true this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other,” Joly mentioned. “As a consequence we have expelled a top Indian diplomat.”

On Tuesday. India’s international ministry launched an announcement dismissing the allegation as “absurd and motivated.” The ministry’s added that Trudeau made related allegations to Modi on the current G20 summit. .

“Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the assertion famous, including that India was involved over the inaction of the Canadian authorities.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly mentioned the top of Indian intelligence in Canada has been expelled as a consequence.

“If proven true this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other,” Joly mentioned. “As a consequence we now have expelled a prime Indian diplomat.”

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The expulsion comes as relations between Canada and India are tense. Trade talks have been derailed and Canada just canceled a trade mission to India that was planned for the fall.

At the G20 meeting, Modi expressed “strong concerns” over Canada’s handling of the Punjabi independence movement among the overseas Sikhs during a meeting with Trudeau at the G20, according to a statement released by India’s Ministry of External Affairs

The statement described the Sikh movement as “promoting secessionism and inciting violence” against Indian diplomats. It called on Canada to work with India on what New Delhi said is a threat to the Canadian Indian diaspora.

Canada has a Sikh population of more than 770,000, or about 2% of its total population.

“Over the past number of weeks Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau said Canada has declared its deep concerns to the Indian government. “Any involvement of a international authorities within the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.”

Trudeau mentioned his authorities has been working intently and coordinating with Canada’s allies on the case.

“In the strongest possible terms I continue to urge the government of India to cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter,” he mentioned.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc mentioned Canada’s nationwide safety adviser and the top of Canada’s spy service have travelled to India to meet their counterparts and to confront the Indian intelligence companies with the allegations.

He referred to as it an lively murder investigation led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Joly mentioned Trudeau additionally raised the matter with U.S. President Joe Biden and U.Okay. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“We are deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson. “We remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. It is critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and the perpetrators be brought to justice.”

Joly additionally mentioned she would increase the problem along with her friends within the G7 on Monday night in New York City forward of the United Nations General Assembly

Opposition New Democrat chief Jagmeet Singh, who’s himself Sikh, referred to as it outrageous and surprising. Singh mentioned he grew up listening to tales that difficult India’s file on human rights may stop you from getting a visa to journey there.

“But to hear the prime minister of Canada corroborate a potential link between a murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil by a foreign government is something I could never have imagined,” Singh mentioned.

The Khalistan motion is banned in India, the place officers see it and affiliated teams as a nationwide safety risk. But the motion nonetheless has some assist in northern India, as nicely as past, in nations like Canada and the United Kingdom that are residence to a large Sikh diaspora.

Nijjar was organizing an unofficial referendum in India for an unbiased Sikh state on the time of this loss of life. Indian authorities introduced a money reward final 12 months for info main to Nijjar’s arrest, accusing him of involvement in an alleged assault on a Hindu priest in India.

British Columbia Premier David Eby mentioned he’s acquired a briefing from Canada’s spy company in regards to the “assassination” of Nijjar and he’s “deeply disturbed” by what he was instructed.

He mentioned he’s calling on the Canadian authorities to share all info associated to ongoing international interference and “transnational organized crime threats.”

The World Sikh Organization of Canada referred to as Nijjar an outspoken supporter of Khalistan who “often led peaceful protests against the violation of human rights actively taking place in India and in support of Khalistan.”

“Nijjar had publicly spoken of the threat to his life for months and said that he was targeted by Indian intelligence agencies,” the assertion mentioned.

Nijjar’s New York-based lawyer, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has mentioned Nijjar was warned by Canadian intelligence officers about being focused for assassination by “mercenaries” earlier than he was gunned down.

Janice Stein, a political scientist and worldwide relations professional on the University of Toronto, mentioned to kill a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is astounding.

“It’s tragic for Canada because we have issues of foreign interference with the two largest economies in Asia, China and India. And we have two very large diaspora from both countries. This is not what we want,” Stein mentioned.

Indian authorities have cracked down on Sikh separatism over time, after an armed insurgency within the Nineteen Eighties for an unbiased Sikh state referred to as Khalistan took off in Punjab state. It prompted a controversial army operation by the Indian authorities that killed hundreds of individuals, in accordance to official estimates.

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Associated Press journalist Aamer Madhani contributed to this report from New York.