Desk:A recent report by a Canadian commission has raised doubts over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims linking the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar to India. The report states that there is no “concrete link” between Nijjar’s assassination and any foreign country. Additionally, India has dismissed allegations of interfering in Canada’s elections.
The commission’s report asserts that there is no evidence proving a solid connection between Nijjar’s killing and another nation. This directly contradicts Trudeau’s accusations that Indian agents were involved in the June 2023 killing of Nijjar in British Columbia.
In September 2023, Trudeau had claimed that Canada possessed “credible evidence” implicating Indian government agents in Nijjar’s assassination.
The report, titled Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, was released on Tuesday. Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue stated, “Misinformation is used as a retaliatory strategy to punish those who make decisions against a country’s interests.”
The 123-page report also mentions the expulsion of six Indian diplomats. It states, “In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials…” In response, India also expelled six Canadian diplomats and recalled its High Commissioner.
India Rejects Canada’s Allegations
India has strongly rejected the commission’s report and its allegations of Indian interference in Canadian elections. It also criticized Ottawa for repeatedly meddling in India’s internal affairs.
A statement from the Indian government read, “We have seen reports about alleged activities regarding foreign interference. In reality, Canada has been persistently interfering in India’s internal matters.” It also accused Canada of fostering an environment conducive to illegal immigration and organized crime.
“We reject the baseless allegations against India and expect that the support system enabling illegal migration will no longer be tolerated,” the statement added.
The Canadian inquiry report, which examines suspected foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections, suggests that India allegedly used “proxy agents” to secretly fund specific candidates from three political parties.