India rebuts Canada's 'preposterous' allegations in diplomatic row over Nijjar's killing
New Delhi: India issued a strong rebuttal to Canada on Monday, dismissing claims that its High Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, was a 'person of interest' in the investigation of Hardeep Singh Nijjar's death. The Ministry of External Affairs described the allegations as "preposterous imputations" and accused the Canadian government of engaging in vote-bank politics by pandering to pro-Khalistan elements.
This diplomatic rift dates back to June 2023, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Nijjar, a known pro-Khalistan figure. India has consistently rejected the claims, calling them "absurd" and "motivated."
Tensions escalated when reports emerged that Canada named the Indian High Commissioner in the investigation. India condemned these allegations, asserting that they lacked evidence and were part of a "deliberate strategy" by Canada to smear India for political gains.
In its statement, India highlighted Verma's 36-year diplomatic career, which includes postings in Japan, Sudan, Italy, Turkiye, Vietnam, and China, and denounced the accusations against him as baseless.
India has long voiced concerns over the growing pro-Khalistan movement in Canada, urging Ottawa to take action against individuals involved in extremist activities. Despite repeated diplomatic efforts, India claims that Canada has not taken sufficient steps to address the issue, further straining relations between the two countries.
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By-election result not a mandate for the government: Basavaraja Bommai
Bengaluru: The results of the by-elections in three constituencies do not represent a mandate for the state government, said MP Basavaraja Bommai, adding that ruling party MLAs are dissatisfied with the lack of development in the state.
Speaking to the media at the BJP office on Tuesday, he stated that by-elections typically favor the ruling government. "When we were in power, we won 13 out of 17 by-elections. The Congress should not assume that this is a verdict in their favor," he remarked.
Bommai emphasized that these results are confined to the constituencies where the by-elections were held. He also accused the state government of poorly implementing its guarantee schemes without adequate financial preparation, claiming that the schemes are being halted due to financial strain.
He alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government has borrowed over ₹1 lakh crore, leading to difficulties in financial management. Bommai pointed out that the state government is yet to release over ₹2,000 crore to local bodies, including village panchayats, as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
"Anganwadi workers and contract workers are not receiving their salaries, and contractors are refusing to take up work due to non-release of funds, even after tenders have been floated," he added.
Responding to questions about internal dissent within the BJP, Bommai denied any significant issues, stating, "There is no dissent in the BJP. Everyone is committed to the party. There may be differing opinions on some matters, but I am confident that everything will be resolved within a month." He also noted that a motivated BJP team is actively working for the party.
