When asked if Jaishankar thought Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a terrorist, the foreign minister replied, “He has a track record which is there on the social media.” That’s a pretty graphic track record. I would let everyone form their own opinions”
S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister, discusses governance and minority rights at a public event in Washington DC.
The minister of external affairs, S Jaishankar, stated that while Canada has publicly accused “Indian agents” of killing Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, they have not provided any evidence against them.
However, India has not ruled out conducting an investigation. ‘How a Billion People See the World’ was the title of the minister’s London talk with journalist Lionel Barber. In the midst of Canada’s ongoing diplomatic standoff with India, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada stated last week that while his country does not wish to fight India, everyone on the planet will be at greater risk if larger nations can break international law without facing repercussions.
On the issue, Jaishankar said, “We feel that Canadian politics has given space to violent and extreme political opinions which advocate separatism from India, including through violent means. These people have been accommodated in Canadian politics. They are given the freedom to articulate their views.”
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According to Jaishankar, when there was an attack on the high commission and the diplomats were intimidated in public, the Canadian government did nothing. Referring to the bombing of an Air India flight, Jaishankar called Canada a nation with a past and remarked, “We are a democracy, they are a democracy.” Along with the freedom of speech and expression, there is a responsibility. It would be extremely wrong to abuse those liberties and to permit such abuse for political ends.”
When asked if Jaishankar thought Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a terrorist, the foreign minister replied, “He has a track record which is there on the social media.” That’s a pretty graphic track record. I would let everyone form their own opinions.”
Around forty Canadian diplomats were evacuated from India amid the India-Canada spat, following New Delhi’s complaint about an imbalance in the number of diplomats. Canada was the country with the most diplomats in India, and New Delhi accused them of meddling in domestic matters.
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