Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has reacted sharply to Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging India's role in a Khalistani terrorist's killing, saying this is not his government's policy. India has informed Canada that is open to looking at specific and relevant information in this regard, he said.
Trudeau's allegation that Indian agents could be involved in Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing led to a strong India's resistance and expelling of diplomats from both sides, triggering a rare diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
Mr Jaishankar shared his comments on the issue in a conversation at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.
"We told the Canadians that this is not the government of India's policy. We told them that look, if you have something specific, if you have something relevant, let us know. We are open to looking at it," he said.
His remark came to a question from former US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster after the minister's address at the UN General Assembly session.
"In the last few years, Canada actually has seen a lot of organised crime relating to the secessionist forces, organised crime, violence, extremism. They're all very, very deeply mixed up," he added.
The foreign minister said India has been feeding Canada with information about organized crime leadership operating out of their soil. There were a large number of extradition requests and terrorist leaders identified, he said.
He also raised concern over Indian diplomats and consulates facing threats in Canada.
"We have a situation where actually our diplomats are threatened, our consulates have been attacked and often comments are made about 'there's interference in our politics'. And, a lot of this is often justified as saying, well, that's how democracies work," he said.
Mr Jaishankar had addressed the issue earlier during his speech at the United Nations, but he did not name Canada.
"...nor must we countenance that political convenience determines responses to terrorism, extremism and violence. Similarly, respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs cannot be exercises in cherry-picking. When reality departs from the rhetoric, we must have the courage to call it out... without genuine solidarity, there can never be real trust," he told the United Nations a day earlier.
India has also alleged interference by Canadian diplomats in its internal affairs and sought the country to downsize its diplomatic presence. It also accused Canada of providing shelter to terrorists who threaten India's sovereignty.
Tensions had been brewing between the two countries since Prime Minister Narendra Modi scolded Trudeau over rising secessionist activities in Canada, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of G20 summit in Delhi.
Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey in June. Trudeau's allegations over the killing escalated the matter with India rejecting it as "absurd". He said "credible allegation" regarding this was shared with India weeks ago, but did not give any evidence in public.
