Canadian report vindicates India's stance on Nijjar killing, says no definitive link

A public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada has concluded that there is "no definitive link to a foreign state" in the killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This finding contradicts Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s earlier allegations that India was involved in the incident.

Relations between Canada and India have been tense since Trudeau publicly suggested Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing. However, the inquiry report accused India of conducting a "disinformation campaign" in response to these claims.

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“Disinformation is also used as a retaliatory tactic, to punish decisions that run contrary to a state’s interests. This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven),” the report said.

India on Tuesday (Jan 28) dismissed allegations of interference in Canada’s federal elections, which were mentioned in the same report from the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference. India’s Ministry of External Affairs refuted suggestions that "the government of India was suspected of using proxy agents to provide clandestine financial support to candidates from three political parties in a federal election."

The inquiry, titled 'Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions', was led by Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue. While the report claimed that India spread disinformation regarding Nijjar’s killing, it also said that Canada had found no direct link to a foreign state in the activist’s death.

“This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Minister’s [Justin Trudeau’s] announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven),” the report added.

Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, on 18 June 2023.

After Trudeau’s allegations, India’s Ministry of External Affairs slammed what it described as a "smear campaign," warning that such accusations would "further damage our already strained ties." The 123-page report also mentioned the expulsion of six Indian diplomats in October 2023, labelling them "agents." Canadian police claimed they had evidence of a "campaign of violence."

(With inputs from agencies)