LOC14:24
11:24 GMT
NEW DELHI, Sep 19 (KUNA) -- Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned High Commissioner of Canada to India Cameron MacKay on Tuesday to inform him of decision expelling a senior Canadian diplomat based in India.
In a statement, the ministry clarified that "the concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days. The decision reflects government of India's growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities,"
The action came following the expulsion of Indian intelligence head in Canada, Pavan Kumar Rai, earlier today following Canadian Prime Minister's Justin Trudeau statements on role of India in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist, in Canada.
The Indian government had rejected these statements, as it also rejected allegations of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada calling it absurd and motivated.
"We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law. Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement read.
New Delhi also expressed its concern over the inaction of the Canadian government on this matter and the open expression of sympathy for such elements by the Canadian political figures, and urged the "government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil."
Trudeau had told the Parliament earlier today, "Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar." This prompted a strong Indian reaction.
The Sikh separatist movement, called Khalistan, demands a separate homeland for the Sikh community in Punjab. It is active in several countries and the Indian diplomatic missions in Canada, the US and the UK had been attacked by them recently. (end)
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