Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
| Photo Credit: AP

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not respond to questions about India rejecting allegations made by him in Parliament about India’s involvement in the killing of a prominent Khalistani separatist leader.

Mr. Trudeau was in the United Nations Headquarters to attend the high-level 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

On September 20, he spoke at the Climate Ambition Summit, the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine and at the Global Carbon Pricing event at an especially constructed SDG Pavilion on the UN premises.

On two different occasions and venues within the UN premises, PTI posed a question to Mr. Trudeau about India rejecting his allegations but he did not respond and walked away, surrounded by his security detail.

India has strongly rejected Mr. Trudeau’s statement made in the Canadian Parliament and said “allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated.” Mr. Trudeau has made allegations in the Canadian Parliament of the involvement of “agents of the Indian government” in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).

Nijjar was one of India’s most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of ₹10 lakh on his head and was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen outside a gurdwara in Surrey in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on June 18.

Bilateral ties between India and Canada have been tense in recent months. Trade talks have been derailed and Canada just cancelled trade talks.

Amid the growing diplomatic row between the two countries, India on Wednesday advised all its citizens living in Canada and those contemplating travelling there to exercise “utmost caution” in view of growing anti-India activities and “politically-condoned” hate crimes in the North American country.

In a strongly-worded advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi referred to “threats” targeting Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community that oppose the “anti-India agenda”, and asked Indian nationals to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada which have seen such incidents.

Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller sought to reassure Indian nationals on Wednesday that it is safe to travel to the country even as a leader of the Sikh separatist movement banned in India has announced plans for rallies in Canadian cities on Monday that seek the closing of New Delhi’s diplomatic missions here, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his delegation departed from the national capital on Tuesday afternoon (September 12) after the technical issue with his aircraft was resolved.

Mr. Trudeau, who arrived in Delhi on Friday, was scheduled to leave on Sunday but was stranded for two days due to a technical issue with the aircraft. A source in the know said the aircraft took off at around 1.10 p.m (IST). Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar was at the airport to see off Mr. Trudeau.

“On behalf of PM @narendramodi Ji and my colleagues in govt, I was at the airport today to thank Mr. Justin Trudeau, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Canada @JustinTrudeau for his presence at the #G20Summit and wished him and his entourage a safe trip back home,” the Minister said in a post on platform X.

The Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology also shared a picture of him with Mr. Trudeau. In a statement on Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s office said the plane has been cleared to fly.

Mr. Trudeau and his delegation, who were to leave Delhi after the G20 summit on Sunday, were stranded here due to the technical issue with the aircraft.

“The technical issue with the plane has been resolved. The plane has been cleared to fly. The Canadian delegation is expected to depart this afternoon,” the statement said.

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s office said the Canadian Armed Forces continue their best efforts to get the delegation home.

“We will keep you updated regularly as the situation evolves. Their latest update shows an earliest possible departure of Tuesday late afternoon. The situation remains fluid,” it had said.