VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Indian high commissioner to Canada has firmly denied any connection to the murder of a Canadian Sikh leader, despite being labeled as a person of interest in the investigation by Canadian authorities. Sanjay Kumar Verma’s remarks came during an interview on CTV’s Question Period, following his expulsion alongside five other Indian diplomats last week. He asserts that the allegations are driven by political motives.
Verma specifically rejected any involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot outside a cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. He stated, “Nothing at all,” when questioned about his role, insisting there was “no evidence presented” and that the claims are politically motivated.
In connection with Nijjar’s murder, four Indian nationals residing in Canada have been charged and are currently awaiting trial. This week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police disclosed allegations that Indian diplomats had been targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. They suggested that Indian officials shared intelligence with their home government, which was subsequently handed over to organized crime groups that carried out attacks on these activists, who are Canadian citizens.
Verma dismissed the notion that the Indian government was targeting Sikh separatists in Canada, asserting, “I, as high commissioner of India, have never done anything of that kind.” He further claimed that any actions taken by Indian officials were conducted openly. In his interview, he condemned the assassination of Nijjar, stating, “Any murder is wrong and bad… I do condemn.”
Additionally, Verma countered remarks made by Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, who had drawn parallels between India and Russia by mentioning ties between Indian diplomats and criminal activities in Canada, such as homicides and intimidation. Verma questioned the evidence Joly referred to, arguing, “Let me see the concrete evidence she’s talking about. As far as I’m concerned, she’s talking politically.”
India has characterized the accusations from Canada as “absurd,” and in response, its foreign ministry expelled Canada’s acting high commissioner and five other diplomats. Verma indicated that “not a shred of evidence has been shared with us” regarding the claims made by Canadian officials. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police previously stated that attempts to present evidence to Indian officials were unsuccessful, with Verma asserting that the RCMP had not secured the necessary visas for travel to India.
“The RCMP had not applied for the proper visas,” he clarified. “A visa needs to be affixed. For any government delegation to travel to another country, you need an agenda to go by. There was no agenda at all.”
Moreover, Canada is not isolated in its accusations against Indian officials; the U.S. Justice Department recently indicted an Indian government employee for his alleged involvement in a thwarted plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader in New York City. In this case, Vikash Yadav is accused of orchestrating the operation from India, with the planned killing purportedly intended as part of a series of politically motivated murders across the U.S. and Canada.
Verma responded to the U.S. indictment, stating, “An indictment is not a conviction. It will follow its judicial process.” Consistently, India has criticized Canada for what it perceives as leniency towards supporters of the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh state in India and is recognized as banned within the country, yet enjoys support among segments of the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.
The killing of Nijjar has significantly strained relations between India and Canada, creating ongoing tensions for over a year; however, Verma expressed optimism that this would not adversely affect trade connections between the two nations. “I don’t see much impact on non-political bilateral relations,” he remarked.