Blinken calls on India to cooperate after Canadian murder accusation

(i24) The diplomatic row has caused British Columbia Premier to ask the federal government to trust “the provincial government with information”

The killing of a Sikh separatist in Vancouver has continued to decimate relations between New Delhi and Ottawa, with an Indian official saying the Canadian government should not provide “safe harbor” to terrorists.

 The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday called for India to start cooperating with Canada on the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which Ottawa has accused New Delhi of being involved in.

“We want to see accountability. And it’s important that the investigation run its course and lead to that result,” Blinken told reporters in New York, where he was taking part in the UN General Assembly.

“We would hope that our Indian friends would cooperate with that investigation as well,” Blinken said.

“I think it’s important, more broadly, for the international system that any country that might consider engaging in such acts not do so,” he added.

Trudeau earlier called on India to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Whereas, back at home, British Columbia (BC) Premier David Eby called on the federal government to trust “the provincial government with information” after what he called “pressure from India” was being exerted on people in his province.

Wanted by India for alleged terrorism, Nijjar was murdered in BC’s largest city Vancouver. He was part of the Khalistan movement, which advocated for a separate Sikh homeland but was crushed by Indian security forces in the 1980s.

India has responded harshly against Canada, reducing its diplomatic staff and stopping visa services. A spokesperson for the Indian External Affairs ministry has even called on the Canadian government “not to provide such safe havens” for terrorists.

“Safe havens are being provided in Canada, and we would like the Canadian government not to provide such safe havens. Action should be taken against those who face terrorism charges, ” official spokesperson for the Indian External Affairs Ministry, Arindam Bagchi, told reporters.