Canada Expels Indian Diplomat Pawan Kumar Rai, head of RAW Canada.
Canada Expels Indian Diplomat Pawan Kumar Rai: Justin Trudeau claimed that his country wanted India to address the Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing issue properly. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday claimed that his country was not trying to provoke India by suggesting its agents were linked to the murder of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but Ottawa wanted New Delhi to address the issue properly.
Canada Expels Indian Diplomat Pawan Kumar Rai: Trudeau said on Monday that “credible allegations” linked Indian agents to the June slaying of Nijjar, who was accused by India of carrying out terrorist attacks in India.
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.
India’s tit-for-tat action
Earlier on Tuesday, India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat action after Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case, marking fresh tensions to the already frayed bilateral ties.
Canada Expels Indian Diplomat Pawan Kumar Rai
Sources familiar with the matter say Canada’s top diplomat, who was ordered to leave India just hours after the Indian diplomat were expelled from Ottawa, is the head of Canadian intelligence in India. Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly’s office, announcing the expulsion of a “senior Indian diplomat,” identified the official as Pavan Kumar Rai, head of Canada’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), according to public broadcaster CBC.
India responded in kind, expelling Olivier Sylvestre, head of Canadian intelligence in India.
India responded in kind, expelling Olivier Sylvestre, head of Canadian intelligence in India, said the people cited above, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media. According to one of the sources, Sylvestre was operating in India under official cover. He has to leave India within five days. The decision to expel a Canadian diplomat reflects the Indian government’s growing concern over Canadian diplomats’ interference in domestic affairs and their involvement in anti-India activities, an Indian Foreign Ministry statement said.
The diplomatic expulsions follow Canada’s allegations that India may have been involved in the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on its territory. These events further deteriorated relations between the two countries. HT has reached out to the Canadian Consular Services in India for comment and this article will be updated with the response. The use of diplomatic titles to protect intelligence officers abroad has long been common practice in several countries.Most countries have secret services in their embassies.
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