Not India’s policy: Jaishankar on Canada’s allegation over Nijjar killing

Jaishankar asserted that one must also understand the context because the “picture is not complete” without the context of it.

“You also have to appreciate that in the last few years, Canada actually has seen a lot of organised crime relating to the secessionist forces, organised crime, violence, extremism. They’re all very, very deeply mixed up,” he said.

He said India has been talking about “specifics and information”.

“We have actually been badgering the Canadians, we have given them a lot of information about organised crime leadership, which operates out of Canada. There are a large number of extradition requests. There are terrorist leaders who have been identified,” he said, adding that one has to understand that there is an “environment out there.”

“That is important in a way to factor in if you have to understand what is going on out there. And our concern is that it’s really been very permissive because of political reasons. So, we have a situation where actually our diplomats are threatened, our consulates have been attacked and often comments are made about there’s interference in our politics’. And, a lot of this is often justified as saying, well, that’s how democracies work,” Jaishankar said.

When asked by Juster whether the government of India will cooperate with Canada if there are specific pieces of evidence provided to it, Jaishankar said, “If somebody gives me something specific, it doesn’t have to be restricted to Canada, but if there is any incident which is an issue and somebody gives me something specific, as a government I would look at it. Of course, I would look at it.”

Tensions flared between India and Canada following Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.

Jaishankar was asked about reports that intelligence about the killing was shared amongst the Five Eyes, the intelligence-sharing alliance of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States and that the FBI is telling Sikh leaders in the US that there are credible threats to them.

“I’m not part of the Five Eyes. I’m certainly not part of the FBI. You are asking the wrong person,” Jaishankar said in response to another question from a journalist. He was then asked about Canadians providing documents to India that purported to show evidence that Indian officials in Canada were aware of the attack on Nijjar.

“Are you saying the Canadians gave us documents?” Jaishankar asked.

“I have said that if somebody gives us specific or relevant information, we are prepared to look at it,” he added.

When asked again if he had not received those intercepted communications from Canada, he replied “If I had, would I not be looking at it.”

WITH AGENCIES INPUTS