New Delhi, Oct 14 (NVI) India tonight expelled Canada’s Acting High Commissioner and 5 other diplomats, soon after withdrawing its own Envoy to Canada against the backdrop of worsening bilateral relations.
The six Canadian diplomats, whose expulsion was ordered, have been asked to leave India by 11.59 pm on Saturday, October 19, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
This statement by the MEA came shortly after India withdrew its own High Commissioner Sanjay Verma along with other diplomats and officials “targeted” by the Canadian government in connection with probe into killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Earlier, this evening, the Acting High Commissioner of Canada was summoned by Secretary (West) in the MEA to convey India’s strong protest over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s attempts to tarnish India’s image through “superfluous imputations” in connection with the Nijjar killing.
Nijjar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on June 18 last year.
Ever since, the Trudeau government has been alleging the hand of Indian government officials, a charge rubbished by India repeatedly.
India says the Trudeau government has not provided even a shred of evidence and that the allegations levelled by it were centered around vote bank in Canada.
