Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly on Tuesday said Ottawa wants to hold private addresses with India to resolve a political disagreement over the murder of Khalistani separatist – terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. “We’re in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats ’ safety very seriously and we will continue to engage intimately because we suppose political exchanges are best when they remain private,” Joly was quoted as saying by Reuters.
New Delhi’s Decisive Actions
The development comes a day after New Delhi told Ottawa to recall further than two dozen of its diplomats from India, People familiar with the developments told that Canada can not be ” given free hand” as their non-cooperation in terror inspections is one of the main reasons why New Delhi is heading towards taking the decision to reduce Canada’s political presence in India.
“Their top officers (Canada’s) come and meet and promise, but don’t deliver,” the forenamed people.
Allegations and Denials Surrounding Nijjar’s Murder
India suspended new visas for Canadians on Sept 22 and asked Ottawa to reduce its political presence in the country. The Canadian government said it isn’t looking to escalate the standoff between Ottawa and New Delhi.
The people mentioned above also said that a final decision has not been made on the directive to the Canadian government to reduce its political strength in New Delhi. Now this means that New Delhi doesn’t see the need for a high strength political demand from Canada in India. India in September suspended visas for Canadians.
The Canadian Prime Minister before in September claimed that India was involved in the murder of Khalistani separatist- terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Lack of Public Substaniation Trudeau’s Claims
India has outrightly rejected the allegations, nominating them ‘ absurd ’ and ‘ motivated ’. He, still, is yet to give any public substantiation to support the claim about the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Implications for Bilateral Relations
India and Canada relationship has hit a new low due to the ongoing contestation over the death of the terrorist. Canada expelled an elderly Indian diplomat from the country mid-September and India in a tit- for- tat response expelled a Canadian diplomat from New Delhi.
Till now Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau has not presented any confirmation that tails his claims.
