Monday alarmed with a breaking news which shocked the world and divided the global diplomats into two groups. On 18th September 2023, Canada’s Foreign Ministry expelled a top Indian diplomat, accusing him of killing Khalistani terrorist Nijjar. The decision came after the visit of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to attend the G20 meeting in India. The Canadian PM is not happy with the Indian hospitality, he may think he was sidelined from all major events and media coverage. The relationship between the two countries is already souring their strategic relations that are hanging by the thread. 

Melanie Joly, Minister of External Affairs Canada made an official announcement on this, she said, “The expelled Indian diplomat is Pavan Kumar Rai, whom we identified as the head of India’s foreign intelligence service RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) in Canada. As an Indian police officer in 1997, he was appointed Minister (Eco, Coordination, Community Affairs) of the Indian High Commission in Ottawa.”

Trudeau addressed the House of Commons “Over the past several weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively seeking credible allegations of a possible link to the killing of Indian government agents and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.” He added that “he had raised the matter with Indian representative Prime Minister Narendra Modi in no uncertain terms.” He argued that “the participation of any foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is a violation of our sovereignty.”  

In reply the Government of India summoned the High Commissioner of Canada to India and asked him to leave the country within five days. The decision of the government reflects the concern of Bharat about its diplomatic ties. 

Also read top stories: India Vs Canada: How Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani Terrorist is at the centre of it 

A senior diplomat expressed his views that India’s response is disproportionate. Whatever space India was required to give due to diplomatic niceties, will soon be gone. Khalistanis are now blocked at every turn, without Canada being able to respond. Their assets in India, their properties, their bank accounts and even their relatives who receive money from Canada – everything should now be under the scanner of the National Intelligence Agency. This shutting of the diplomatic door will happen soon so that we can get to work on the Khalistanis. No one with Khalistani terror-leaning sympathies should be able to leave India for Canada and vice versa. 

Another foreign relation expert stated that If the Indian Secret Service is in link with the killing of these Khalistani terrorists, then “Ghar me ghuske marna” is now open in the North American Continent also. One thing which is also important to learn here is that Vote bank appeasement is not only limited to India, it is spread internationally. 

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, designated as a terrorist, was killed in Canada’s British Columbia province in June this year. Nijjar, wanted in four NIA cases related to Sikh radicalism, was the leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) of the Khalistan party. His outfit is associated with ‘Sikh For Justice’, which is led by another pro-Khalistan leader, Gurpatwant Singh Pannuni. Nijjar was fired at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Kannada province. He became the president of the gurudwara after allegedly occupying it by force. Separatists blamed India for Nijjar’s murder, but a close confidante of the Khalistani figure said Canadian law enforcement did not mention New Delhi when they told him of a possible threat to his life.