In a recent interview with CTV News, Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s recalled High Commissioner to Canada, made explosive claims regarding Khalistani extremists, alleging they are “deep assets” of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Verma accused the Canadian government of “encouraging” these extremists, raising concerns about their impact on India’s sovereignty.
“Khalistani extremists are being encouraged all the time,” Verma stated, asserting his allegations without presenting evidence. He urged the Canadian government to take his “core concerns seriously” and to reconsider its associations with groups challenging India’s territorial integrity.
Verma highlighted the distinction between Indian citizens and Khalistani extremists, stating, “What happens in India will be decided by Indian citizens. These Khalistani extremists are not Indian citizens; they are Canadian citizens.” He emphasized that no nation should permit its citizens to undermine the sovereignty of another.
The interview follows a diplomatic crisis triggered by the Canadian government’s designation of Verma and five other Indian diplomats as “persons of interest” in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani activist killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June. Nijjar had been designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2020.
Verma denied any involvement in directing or coercing individuals to gather information on pro-Khalistani activists, labeling the accusations as politically motivated. “No evidence presented. Politically motivated,” he remarked, questioning the validity of claims made by Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.
In defense of India’s interests, Verma explained that monitoring pro-Khalistani elements in Canada is crucial for national security, asserting that his team relies on open-source information, such as media reports and social media, to understand their activities.
This diplomatic spat has further strained relations between India and Canada, which were already tense following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations last year that India may have been involved in Nijjar’s killing. India has vehemently denied these claims, calling them “absurd” and accusing Canada of harboring extremist elements.
