India expels Canadian envoy over diplomatic row

NEW DELHI — India expelled one of Canada's top diplomats on Tuesday, ramping up a confrontation between the two countries over Canadian accusations that India may have been involved in the killing of a religious leader in suburban Vancouver.

India, which has dismissed the accusations as absurd, said the expulsion came amid "growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities", according to a statement from its Ministry of External Affairs.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to try to calm the diplomatic clash on Tuesday, telling reporters that Canada is "not looking to provoke or escalate", The Associated Press reported.

"We are simply laying out the facts as we understand them and we want to work with the government of India to lay everything clear and to ensure there are proper processes," he said. "India and the government of India need to take this matter with the utmost seriousness."

Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Monday that Canada has expelled a top Indian diplomat for his alleged involvement in the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the Canadian province of British Columbia in June.

Nijjar had been a prominent advocate of the Khalistan movement. Nijjar was killed outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.

A US official said Trudeau was in contact with President Joe Biden's administration about Canada's findings before raising them publicly. AP quoted the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying that Trudeau's willingness to speak out about the matter was taken by the White House as an indication of the Canadian leader's certainty about what had been found.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said on Tuesday that Britain will continue trade talks with India despite allegations from Canada. Britain is in close contact with Canada about the "serious allegations" but they will not have an impact on trade talks with India, the spokesperson said.

On Wednesday, India told its citizens to avoid traveling to parts of Canada, following the diplomatic row.

Agencies - Xinhua