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Canadian PM Trudeau vows to pursue justice in Nijjar killing
Trudeau vows to pursue thorough investigation while seeking collaboration with India, as diplomatic rift deepens over Nijjar's assassination
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau / X- @JustinTrudeau
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated his commitment to pursuing justice in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, amid escalating tensions with India.
In response to questions regarding India's cooperation in the investigation, Trudeau emphasized the seriousness with which Canada views the killing of one of its citizens on its own soil.
"The killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is something that we all should take extremely seriously," Trudeau said, while speaking to Canadian media channel Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC).
"Our responsibility to protect all Canadians from illegal actions by foreign governments is something that, as a country grounded in diversity, we need to take very seriously," he added, addressing concerns about allegations implicating agents of the Indian government in Nijjar's assassination.
He went on to reassure the public that the Canadian government is pursuing a thorough investigation in accordance with the country's justice system and police independence. "That's why we've been unequivocal about standing up for the rule of law and ensuring that the appropriate investigations are being done in full accordance with our justice system and our police independence," Trudeau affirmed.
Despite the tensions with New Delhi, Trudeau expressed willingness to collaborate with the Indian government. "We're looking to work constructively with the government of India to get to the bottom of this, to understand how this could have happened, and to make sure that no Canadians are ever vulnerable again to foreign interference by any international power," he added.
Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2020, was assassinated on June 18, 2023, outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Nearly nine months later, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is yet to name suspects or make arrests in connection with the assassination.
India has vehemently denied involvement in Nijjar's killing, dismissing Canada's allegations as "absurd and motivated." The Ministry of External Affairs previously stated that Canada has failed to provide any evidence supporting its claims regarding the assassination.
The deteriorating diplomatic ties between the two nations underscore the complexity of the situation, with both nations at odds over the investigation into Nijjar's death.
Purported video footage of the killing surfaced earlier this month, depicting Nijjar being shot by armed men in what has been described as a "contract killing," according to Canada-based CBC News. The attack, described as "highly coordinated," involved six men and two vehicles.
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