US calls on India to cooperate with Canada in Sikh leader's murder probe
World
John Kirby describes Canada's accusation as 'very serious'
WASHINGTON (Web Desk) - The United States has expressed its support for Canada's investigation into the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil and has called on India to cooperate in the probe, according to a senior US official.
John Kirby, the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, told CNN, "We believe that a fully transparent and comprehensive investigation is the appropriate approach so that we can all have a clear understanding of what transpired, and we certainly encourage India to cooperate."
Hardeep Singh Nijjar had advocated for a separate Khalistani state for Sikhs and was designated as a "terrorist" by India in July 2020. However, he contested these accusations, as reported by the World Sikh Organisation of Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Canadian Sikhs.
In response to Canada's allegations of Indian intelligence involvement in the extrajudicial killing of Nijjar in Surrey in June, Ottawa expelled India's chief intelligence officer from the country. Canada stated that it was actively investigating credible claims connecting agents of the Indian government to the assassination of the Sikh separatist leader.
In retaliation, New Delhi issued a five-day notice for a Canadian diplomat to leave the country. India rejected the Canadian accusation as "unfounded and motivated by ulterior motives" and encouraged Canada to pursue legal action against individuals engaged in anti-Indian activities on Canadian soil.
John Kirby, speaking to CNN, described Canada's accusation as "very serious" and noted that US President Joe Biden was aware of the situation. When asked if the US was aware of the intelligence upon which Canada based its allegation, Kirby replied, "I need to be cautious in my remarks here to respect the integrity of this investigation and defer to Canada to discuss the underlying information and their ongoing efforts to learn more. We want to respect that process; it's their investigation."
Regarding potential consequences if it were proven that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the killing, Kirby stated, "Let's not jump ahead of ourselves. There is an active investigation, and we believe it should be transparent and comprehensive. We know that Canada will work towards that goal. Again, we urge India to cooperate with the investigation. Once we have all the facts and conclusions, we can consider any recommendations or actions."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in an emergency statement to the House of Commons, emphasized that any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen constituted "an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty." He also called on India to treat the revelation of its probe into the murder with the utmost seriousness.
Meanwhile, another spokesperson from the National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, denied reports that the US had "rejected" Canada's stance on the matter. Watson shared a Washington Post article stating, "President Biden has actively sought India's Modi as a counterbalance to China. This effort is now complicated by Canada's explosive allegation that Indian officials may have been involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia." Watson responded, "Reports that we rejected Canada's position on this issue are entirely false. We are closely coordinating and consulting with Canada on this matter. It is a serious issue, and we support Canada's ongoing law enforcement efforts. We are also engaging with the Indian government."
— Adrienne Watson (@NSC_Spox) September 20, 2023
In a related development, Canada updated its travel advisory for India, cautioning its citizens against visiting occupied Kashmir due to security concerns. India also issued a travel advisory advising its citizens against visiting certain parts of Canada amid the diplomatic dispute over allegations of India's involvement in Nijjar's killing.
Notably, a representative of the World Sikh Organisation of Canada, Mukhbir Singh, remarked that while Canadians might have been "shocked" by Trudeau's statement, it came as no surprise to the Sikh community. He alleged that India had targeted Sikhs in Canada with espionage, disinformation, and now murder over the decades.
Balraj Singh Nijjar, the son of the slain leader, expressed his hope that the truth would come to light and called for specific individuals to be held accountable. Jagmeet Singh, the leader of Canada's New Democratic Party and an ally of Trudeau, called for India to be included in a probe launched in September to investigate alleged interference in Canadian affairs by foreign countries, particularly China. Singh stated, "As a Sikh Canadian, there have always been suspicions that India was interfering in the democratic rights of Canadians. Yesterday's announcement confirms that these suspicions are valid."
