Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Australia and the United States expressed concerns over Canada’s allegations about the role of India in the killing of a Khalistani Sikh extremist in the British Columbia province of the North American country.
The United Kingdom too termed Canada’s allegations against India as ‘serious’.
Ottawa was in touch with Canberra, Washington DC and London before going public with the allegation about the role of New Delhi in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was one of the most wanted fugitives for India but was heading a gurdwara in Vancouver in Canada.
A spokesperson of the Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that Canberra had conveyed its concerns to New Delhi “at senior levels” about the allegations by Ottawa.
“We are closely engaged with partners on developments. We have conveyed our concerns at senior levels to India,” said the spokesperson. “Australia is deeply concerned by these allegations and notes ongoing investigations into this matter.”
“We are in close touch with our Canadian partners about these serious allegations,” a spokesperson of the Government of the UK said. “It would be inappropriate to comment further during the ongoing investigation by the Canadian authorities.”
“We are deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau earlier today,” a spokesperson of the US National Security Council said.
Trudeau, who was in New Delhi to attend the G20 summit on September 9 and 10, spoke to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden about India’s role in the killing of Nijjar in Canada, CBC News reported quoting sources.
Some media reports also suggested that Ottawa had proposed a joint statement by Five Eyes – an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK Kingdom and the US – on the role of New Delhi in the murder of Nijjar, possibly on the sideline of the G20 summit hosted by India. But the UK, the US and Australia declined to be a part of it.