Mahendranagar, 19 September

Tensions between India and Canada have flared over Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Hardeep Singh was murdered on June 18 in British Columbia, Canada. Canada has been saying that India has a hand in it. Since then, the tension between the Sikh separatists and the Indian government has reached its peak.

This is also the cause of the recent India-Canada tension. Nijjar was shot by two masked gunmen near the parking area of a Gurudwara. He was in his truck at the time.

The person involved in Nijjar's murder has not yet been identified. But after this massacre, voices of protest were heard in several countries. Supporters of Khalistan protested against Nijjar's killing in Toronto, Canada, London, Melbourne and San Francisco in several cities last July.

The protestors raised slogans against the Indian government. They alleged that Nijjar was killed by the Indian government. Now Canada has officially said the same thing. The Government of India has given a strong response to this.

India strongly opposes the Khalistani movement. All mainstream political parties in the country, including Punjab, condemn violence and separatism.

Nijjar, a prominent Sikh leader based in British Columbia, was a staunch supporter of a separate Khalistan state. According to his supporters, he was being threatened because of this demand. While India accused him of leading extremist and separatist groups.

As the dispute escalates, the Indian government on Tuesday expelled a senior Canadian diplomat.

After Canada expelled an Indian diplomat accused of involvement in the killing of separatist Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India also expelled a Canadian diplomat in the same fashion.

The Ministry of External Affairs of India called the High Commissioner of Canada in New Delhi and informed him about the decision of the Government of India to expel a senior diplomatic employee of the High Commission.

New Delhi has ordered the expelled Canadian diplomat to leave India within five days.

The decision exposed the interference of Canadian diplomats in India's internal affairs and their involvement in anti-India activities, said an official of the Ministry of External Affairs.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has commented that Canada's accusations of adopting a democratic political system with strong commitment to the rule of law are baseless.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar during an emergency session of Parliament.

Earlier, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi expressed serious concern over the increase in anti-India activities in Canada and requested his counterpart not to use Canadian land against India.