Politics

India has expelled a Canadian diplomat, frozen visa service for Canadians

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After every week of fallout from the prime minister’s accusation that India was concerned within the homicide of a distinguished a pro-Khalistan activist, Defence Minister Bill Blair sought to shift focus away from questions of intelligence on Sunday and towards the continued felony investigation into the difficulty.

Following the allegations put ahead by Justin Trudeau within the House of Commons on Monday, Canada and India have been locked in a diplomatic dispute, with two officers expelled and an Indian freeze on visas for Canadians.

In an interview on 
Rosemary Barton Live airing Sunday, Blair mentioned he was keenly conscious of the impression the diplomatic dispute was having on Indian-Canadians.

“It’s another reason why I place such emphasis on the investigation that’s taking place, that we’d be able to move beyond credible intelligence to evidence, strong evidence of exactly what happened, so that we and the Indian government can know the truth, have the facts and then work together to resolve it in an appropriate way,” he informed CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton.

WATCH | Bill Blair discusses fallout of India accusations:

“I’m not going to say anything that would in any way compromise the integrity of that investigation, it’s just too important.”

Among these caught up within the fallout of Canada’s accusations — that India was concerned within the killing of Sikh independence activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar — is Suvro Ghosh, who informed Barton he’s not capable of return house to assist look after his unwell father.

“I really want [the two countries I love] to start talking. I know once they start talking, once they really want to help their citizens, I’m pretty sure they’ll find common ground to make friends,” he mentioned. 

Allies additionally urge cooperation with investigation

India has responded by flatly denying “any attempts to connect the government of India” with Nijjar’s homicide. A overseas ministry spokesperson earlier within the week additionally referred to Canada as having a “growing reputation” as a “safe haven for terrorists, for extremists and organized crime.”

Canada has known as on India to co-operate with the investigation into Nijjar’s demise.

“The only request we’ve made of our allies and India is that they co-operate fully in that investigation because its outcome is very important,” Blair informed Barton.

Blair’s emphasis on the investigation echoed comparable statements by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti earlier within the week.

“We have deep concerns about the allegations and we would like to see this investigation carried forward and the perpetrators held to account,” Sullivan mentioned Thursday.

Blair skirted a query about what intelligence Canada had acquired from allies to assist attain the purpose the place they made the choice to talk publicly on the difficulty. CBC News
reported earlier this week that Canada had in its possession emails from Indian diplomats, and had acquired intelligence from a Five Eyes ally. On Saturday, the
New York Times reported the United States had supplied info.

WATCH | Trudeau accuses India of involvement in killing:

Blair additionally made the case that if the allegations are confirmed true, India’s actions would characterize a serious problem to worldwide regulation and rules-based order.

“I understand completely, every country in the world has strong trade interests in the Indo-Pacific region, as does Canada. But at the same time, our engagement in that region or in any place in the world has to be based on those rules,” Blair mentioned.

WATCH | Concerns of tensions in India after Canada’s accusation:

The fallout from Canada’s accusations has additionally raised fears of divisions inside diaspora communities in Canada.

Jaskaran Sandhu, a board member with the World Sikh Organization of Canada, informed Barton that whereas the Sikh group felt “validated, vindicated” by Canada’s claims, the efforts of advocacy organizations like his have been aimed on the Indian authorities, not Hindus or the Indian individuals usually.

Asked a couple of video launched by the New York-based group Sikhs for Justice, which known as for Indian Hindus to “go back to India,” Sandhu mentioned feedback like that have been “not helpful at all.”

“I think it does a disservice to what the actual issue here is, and that is Indian state interference in Canada.”

With recordsdata from Rosemary Barton and Lisa Mayor