By Abhaya Srivastava New Delhi, India -- India on Tuesday rejected the 'absurd' allegation that its agents were behind the
New Delhi, India — India on Tuesday rejected the “absurd” allegation that its agents were behind the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bombshell accusation sent already sour diplomatic relations to a new low.
New Delhi insisted it had nothing to do with the killing, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “completely rejected” the accusation when earlier raised privately by Trudeau. Nijjar was part of a movement that advocated for the creation of an independent Sikh state to be carved out of part of northern India and perhaps part of Pakistan.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly then announced the expulsion of the local head of the Research and Analysis Wing , India’s foreign intelligence agency. Tensions between India and Canada have been simmering over the unsolved slaying, and Indian unhappiness over how Ottawa has handled Sikh separatists. Trudeau was in New Delhi last week for the G20 summit and met privately with his Indian counterpart but his visit was a testament to the strained ties between their countries.