Justin Trudeau Doubles Down on Claims in India-Canada Row, Stresses Rule of Law

November 12, 2023 1:33 pm

Ottawa : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed his stance on Sunday, doubling down on claims that Canada had reached out to India regarding the killing of pro-Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau asserted that Canada “will always stand up for the rule of law,” addressing escalating tensions between the two nations.

The statement follows remarks from US State Secretary Antony Blinken, who, after a recent ‘2+2’ meeting with India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urged India to cooperate with Canada on the investigation into Nijjar’s killing.

Trudeau reiterated Canada’s efforts to seek collaboration, stating, “From the very beginning, when we learned of credible allegations that agents of the Indian government were involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, we reached out to India to ask them to work with us in getting to the bottom of this matter.”

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Trudeau emphasized the need for international cooperation. “We also reached out to our friends and allies like the US and others to work on this really serious violation of international law and of sovereignty of a democracy.”

Concerns were raised regarding India’s response to the allegations, particularly the expulsion of over 40 Canadian diplomats. Trudeau criticized India for violating the Vienna Convention, terming it “disappointing” and expressing worry about the potential repercussions on international relations.

Trudeau stated, “Think about it from our perspective. We have serious reasons to believe that agents of the government of India could have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. And India’s response is to kick out a whole bunch of Canadian diplomats by violating their rights under the Vienna Convention. That is of concern to countries around the world.”

Amid strained diplomatic ties and trade talks breaking down since Trudeau’s accusations in June, the Prime Minister emphasized Canada’s commitment to the rule of law. He asserted, “This is not a fight we want to be having right now. But we will unequivocally always stand up for the rule of law because that’s who Canada is.”

As both nations grapple with the fallout from the allegations, the international community watches closely, hoping for a constructive resolution to the growing tensions between Canada and India.