The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India stated on Thursday that Canada has failed to act on requests related to the arrest of members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, despite India’s insistence on addressing “core concerns.” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that New Delhi had shared specific requests with Canadian authorities but has seen no action taken.
Jaiswal also suggested there may be a political motive behind Canada’s inaction, asserting that the Indian government has repeatedly expressed its concerns regarding the Bishnoi gang. He stated, “They haven’t taken any action on our core concerns. There is a political motive also behind this.”
The MEA’s comments come after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged that he had no “hard evidentiary proof” to support his claims regarding Indian government agents’ involvement in the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau claimed there were “clear indications” that India had violated Canadian sovereignty but admitted that he relied on intelligence rather than concrete evidence.
In response, Jaiswal reiterated that Canada has not provided any evidence to support the allegations against India regarding Nijjar’s murder. He stated, “We reject false imputations against our diplomats,” emphasizing that since September 2023, the Canadian government has not shared any information with India.
Trudeau also testified before a public inquiry into foreign interference, alleging that Indian diplomats had been monitoring Canadians who oppose the Narendra Modi government and passing this information to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Following these allegations, Canada communicated that Indian diplomats were considered “persons of interest” in the Nijjar murder case. This prompted India to withdraw its diplomats from Canada and expel Canadian officials from India.
Jaiswal concluded by reaffirming India’s stance on the matter, stating, “Canada has presented us no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats.” He reiterated India’s request for concrete proof in response to the allegations made by Canada.
