New Delhi: India on Monday announced the expelling of six Canadian diplomats, hours after recalling the Indian high commissioner and some other officials from Canada. From its side, Canada had also reacted sharply by expelling an equal number of Indian diplomats.
The Canadian diplomats have been asked to leave India by or before 11:59 pm on October 19, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The diplomats who have been expelled are Stewart Ross Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner; Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner; Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary and Lan Ross David Trites, First Secretary.
The other two expelled diplomats are Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary, and Paula Orjuela, First Secretary. The expulsions came after India decided to withdraw its High Commission to Canada amid a deepening diplomatic rift between the two countries over the Nijjar killing.
Meanwhile, the Canadian media on Monday quoted an unnamed senior official as saying that Ottawa has expelled six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, reporting the development around the same time when India announced the expulsion of six members of the Canadian high commission in Delhi.
The Globe and Mail daily quoted the Canadian official as saying that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have evidence that the six diplomats were involved in the alleged plot to murder Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023. Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year.
Addressing a press conference later, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme warned of widespread violence, homicides and a public security threat linked to "agents" of the Indian government. Hours earlier, India announced withdrawing its high commissioner and other "targeted diplomats and officials" from Canada after strongly dismissing Ottawa's allegations linking the envoy to an investigation into the killing of Nijjar.
The official, who, according to the local media, was not authorised to discuss the matter on national security grounds, said that the Canadian government presented the evidence to India last week and the Indian government staunchly denied the allegations. (with PTI inputs)
