The UK has mentioned India must co-operate with Canada’s investigation into the homicide of a Sikh chief in British Columbia – after the 2 nations expelled one another’s diplomats over the problem.
Tensions between India and Canada, nominally pals, have been strained since Canadian citizen and outstanding Sikh separatist chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down in his automotive by masked males as he left a Sikh temple in Surrey, BC, in June 2023.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned in September final 12 months there have been “credible allegations” the Indian authorities was linked to the assassination.
India rejected the accusation as “absurd” and instructed Canada to take away 41 of its 62 diplomats from the nation.
Canada is residence to about 770,000 Sikhs, the most important Sikh diaspora outdoors Punjab. Delhi has criticised Ottawa over time for failing to oppose the pro-Khalistan motion, which requires a separate Sikh state in India.
On Monday, tensions ramped up additional as Canada expelled six senior Indian diplomats, together with the excessive commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, after police uncovered proof of ongoing violent legal exercise linked to India’s authorities, based on a senior Canadian authorities official.
India then ordered the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats, and mentioned it was withdrawing Mr Verma. India’s ministry of exterior affairs mentioned it had “no faith in the current Canadian government’s commitment to ensure their security”.
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Mourners on the funeral of Mr Nijjar in June 2023. Pic: AP
The tensions place the UK considerably within the center, with India and Canada each a part of the Commonwealth, the UK and Canada within the G7 and NATO and the UK and India sharing a defence partnership and a potential free commerce deal.
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Trudeau spoke to one another over the telephone the place they mentioned “recent developments regarding allegations under investigation in Canada”, Downing Road mentioned.
The Overseas Workplace has now mentioned: “We are in contact with our Canadian partners about the serious developments outlined in the independent investigations in Canada.
“The UK has full confidence in Canada’s judicial system. Respect for sovereignty and the rule of legislation is important.
“The government of India’s co-operation with Canada’s legal process is the right next step.”
Suspicions Indian brokers have killed Sikh activists are usually not remoted to Mr Nijjar’s case.
Final November, the FBI mentioned it had thwarted the tried assassination within the US by an Indian agent of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh activist chief.
The authorities mentioned they’d indicted an Indian nationwide engaged on behalf of an unnamed Indian authorities official.
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Sikh activist fears for all times in UK
Mr Nijjar and Mr Pannun had been additionally on the listing.
Mr Mothada mentioned he thinks the UK – in contrast to Canada and the US – is ignoring the problem to appease India.
“If I am assassinated then it’s the British government’s total responsibility,” he mentioned.
In January, a cross-party group of parliamentarians requested an pressing assembly with then safety minister Tom Tugendhat following studies of “threat to life warnings” being issued to British Sikhs.
A spokesperson for the UK authorities mentioned that it frequently assesses potential threats, and takes “the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously”.
Different main Sikh activists within the US and Canada have additionally mentioned they’ve been warned about threats to their lives.
India, in the meantime, has requested Britain to observe UK-based Sikh separatists, accusing them of abusing the asylum system whereas being concerned in “terrorist activities” within the South Asia nation.
