• By Kamal Kumar
  • Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:20 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

India Canada News: Hours after calling its envoy back from Ottawa, India on Monday expelled six Canadian diplomats from the country as the ties between the two countries hit an all-time low. The recent diplomatic fallout followed a communique by Canada to the Ministry of External Affairs announcing that it would probe the Indian diplomats posted in the North American country as 'persons of interest' in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In a fresh statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that six Canadian diplomats - Stewart Ross Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner, Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner, Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary, lan Ross David Trites, First Secretary, Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary, Paula Orjuela, First Secretary - have been asked to leave the country by or before 11:59 pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024.

ALSO READ: Canada Claims Indian Agents Working With Lawrence Bishnoi Gang To Target Pro-Khalistan Elements On Its Soil

Canada Retaliates, Expels Six Indian Diplomats

In a tit-for-tat response to the Indian side, Canada asked six Indian diplomats to leave the country on Monday. 

"Global Affairs Canada, today announced that six Indian diplomats and consular officials had received a notice of expulsion from Canada in relation to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India," the Canadian government said.

"The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) gathered information that established linkages between the investigation and agents of the Government of India. In order to further the investigation and allow the RCMP to interview relevant individuals, India was asked to waive diplomatic and consular immunities and to cooperate in the investigation. Regrettably, as India did not agree and given the ongoing public safety concerns for Canadians, Canada served notices of expulsion to these individuals. Subsequent to those notices, India announced it would withdraw its officials," it added.

ALSO READ: Pannun Assassination Bid: Indian Probe Team To Visit US Today For Discussion With American Officials

This came hours after India summoned Canada's Charge d'Affaires, Stewart Wheeler, to express that the baseless targeting of the Indian High Commissioner, along with other diplomats and officials in Canada, is completely unacceptable. 

India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a release that it was underlined to the Canada's Charge d'Affaires that in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, the Trudeau Government's actions endangered their safety and the government had decided to withdraw India's High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma and other targeted diplomats and officials.