The United States has once again said that it was “deeply concerned” by the allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding India's possible involvement in the killing of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar and called for continued probe into the matter.

 

Addressing a press briefing, department of state spokesperson Matthew Miller also said the US has “publicly – and privately” urged India to cooperate in the Canadian investigation.

"We are deeply concerned by the allegations referenced by (Canadian) Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau. We remain in close contact with our Canadian partners," Miller told reporters on Monday (local time).

"We believe it’s critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and that the perpetrators be brought to justice. And we have publicly and privately urged the Indian Government to cooperate in the Canadian investigation," he added.

Tensions between India and Canada have escalated after Trudeau alleged that India was behind the killing of Nijjar. India has rejected the allegations, calling them "absurd and motivated." Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was killed in Canada's Surrey on June 18.

 

 

US Representative Jim Costa calls for a probe

 

Meanwhile, US Representative Jim Costa called for an investigation into the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Costa said, "I am very concerned about reports that Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Niijar was assassinated, and I have requested an official briefing as a member of the House Foreign Affairs committee. We must fully investigate this crime to determine who should be held accountable."

Late last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US was "deeply concerned" about the allegations made by Trudeau about the Indian government's involvement in the killing of the Khalistani terrorist.

He said the US wanted to see accountability and called it "important" that the investigation runs its course and leads to the result. Blinken said that the US has engaged directly with the Indian government. He said that the US is consulting "very closely" with Canada and coordinating on the issue.

 

Asked about the US's engagement with India and Canada amid the diplomatic row, Blinken said, "We are deeply concerned about the allegations that Prime Minister Trudeau has raised. We have been consulting throughout very closely with our Canadian colleagues, and not just consulting, coordinating with them on this issue."

"And from our perspective, it is critical that the Canadian investigation proceed. And it would be important that India work with the Canadians on this investigation. We want to see accountability, and it's important that the investigation run its course and lead to that result," he added.

Blinken refused to give details regarding the diplomatic conversations that the US had with both nations. He said that the investigation must move forward and be completed.

 

Blinken said, "I'm not going to characterize or otherwise speak to diplomatic conversations that we've had. We've been engaged directly with the Indian government as well. And again, I think the most productive thing that can happen now is to see this investigation move forward, be completed. And we would hope that our Indian friends would cooperate with that investigation as well."

"More broadly, you've heard me speak to this. We are extremely vigilant about any instances of alleged transnational repression, something we take very, very seriously. And I think it's important more broadly for the international system that any country that might consider engaging in such acts not do so. So, it's something that we're also focused on in a much broader way," he added.

 

'Terrorists found safe haven in Canada': Sri Lankan foreign minister

Reacting to the India-Canada diplomatic row, Sri Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry said that terrorists have found safe haven in the North American country and Trudeau has this way of coming out with outrageous allegations.

Sabry told news agency ANI that he is "not surprised" by his comments as Trudeau comes out with “outrageous and substantiated allegations”.

“Some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada. The Canadian PM has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations without any supporting proof. The same thing they did for Sri Lanka, a terrible, total lie about saying that Sri Lanka had a genocide. Everybody knows there was no genocide in our country," the Sri Lankan foreign minister said.

 

 

Source credit: Hindustan Times