'Baseless': Ex-Punjab CM Amarinder Singh dismisses Canada's claims over Nijjar's murder

Former Punjab Chief Minister and BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday overruled Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims of alleged involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey Gurdwara in June this year. Terming the claims “baseless”, Singh said that Trudeau is putting the India-Canada diplomatic relationship at stakes for his vote-bank politics. 

“The claims by the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau that there was an Indian hand in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjer are completely baseless and he's only playing to the vote bank gallery,” Captain Amarinder Singh wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Further bringing in the reference of the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit to Amritsar, the former Punjab Chief Minister said that he had brought it to Trudeau’s notice as to how Canadian land was being used against India. 

“During his visit to Amritsar in 2018, I had brought to the notice of Mr Justin Trudeau as to how the Canadian land was being used against India, still the Canadian government failed to take any remedial measures so far,” Singh added. 

The claims by the Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau that there was an Indian hand in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjer are completely baseless and he's only playing to the vote bank gallery.

During his visit to Amritsar in 2018, I had brought to the notice of Mr Justin Trudeau as to…

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) September 19, 2023

According to news agency PTI, the former Chief Minister appreciated the Centre's decision to expel the Canadian diplomat for his involvement in encouraging anti-India activities.

Canada alleges Indian links

Earlier on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while speaking during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country's national security officials had reasons to believe that "agents of the Indian government" carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who also served as the president of Surrey's Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

However, India on Tuesday rejected the charges levelled by the Canadian Prime Minister and stated that the allegations are “absurd and motivated”. 

"We have seen and rejected the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as well as the statement by their Foreign Minister. Allegations of the Government of India's involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated. We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to the rule of law," the Ministry of External Affairs statement read. 

Following India’s statement, Trudeau responded saying that he was not looking to "provoke" India or "escalate" tensions and urged New Delhi to take the killing of a Sikh separatist leader with the "utmost seriousness".