Trudeau has wrecked Canada-India political relations, says expelled envoy

OTTAWA – India's envoy to Canada, who is being expelled over what Ottawa says are links to the murder of a Sikh leader, insisted in an interview he was innocent and said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had wrecked bilateral political ties.

Both countries last week ordered out six diplomats in tit-for-tat moves over Ottawa's allegations that New Delhi was targeting Indian dissidents on Canadian soil.

Mr Trudeau specifically tied the six to the

murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023

in British Columbia. Mr Sanjay Kumar Verma, India's envoy to Canada, told Canadian TV network CTV that Mr Trudeau had been relying on intelligence rather than evidence.

“On the basis of intelligence, if you want to destroy a relationship, be my guest. And that’s what he did,” Verma said in an interview broadcast on Oct 20.

Asked whether he had had anything to do with Mr Nijjar’s murder, Mr Verma said: “Nothing at all. No evidence was presented. (This is) politically motivated.”

Canada is home to the highest population of Sikhs outside their home state of Punjab, and demonstrations in favour of a separate homeland carved out of India have irked New Delhi. REUTERS