Image: ANI
NEW DELHI: India’s high commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, has strongly rejected allegations linking the Indian government to the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, questioning the lack of evidence to support the claims. Speaking in a televised interview on CBC News’ Power & Politics, Patnaik responded to allegations made by former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, repeatedly stressing that such accusations cannot be sustained without evidence.”Well, where is the evidence? Every time you keep on saying ‘credible information’,” Patnaik said. “We have always said it’s preposterous and absurd; it’s something we don’t do. These are allegations which have not been backed by evidence. There’s always easy-to-do acquisitions. Acquisitions are easy.” Patnaik said the ongoing legal proceedings in Canada do not implicate India and stressed that the allegations were based on statements by the former prime minister and his associates rather than evidence. He noted that the case before the court concerns four individuals, not a government, and questioned where any proof existed linking India as a state to the killing. “We can go into who said what. At the end of the day, it’s about evidence on the ground,” Patnaik said, reiterating India’s long-standing stance that it would act if credible proof were provided.”We have said very clearly, if there is evidence ever coming out, if you provide us evidence, we will take action ourselves. We don’t need you to take action on that. What we need is for you to give us evidence for us to take action,” he added.”You have accusations; you have to back it up with evidence. You can’t say I accuse you, and you have to now justify yourselves.”The remarks come against the backdrop of strained India–Canada relations in recent years, driven by New Delhi’s concerns over what it sees as Ottawa’s leniency towards Khalistani separatist elements.Ties have been further strained by Canada’s allegations that Indian agents were involved in the 2023 killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Canada.India has firmly denied the allegations, calling them “politically motivated.”Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit India in the coming weeks as both countries seek to diversify their trading partners amid US president Donald Trump’s trade war.The visit follows a commitment by the two leaders to begin negotiations on a new trade pact, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), announced during their meeting at the G20 Summit in South Africa last November.