India awaits Canadian information on arrests in Nijjar: Jaishankar case

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Canadian police claimed to have arrested three Indian nationals in connection with the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday that India is awaiting details from the Canadian government or police on development.

Interacting with the media during his two-day visit to the state, Jaishankar said the three arrested persons were apparently Indians with some gang background. But he didn’t want to get any details yet.

“We never received any evidence from the Canadian government. In fact, we have repeatedly told them that if they have something, they should share it with us. I am waiting for the Canadian police to tell us more (about the people they have arrested),” he said, adding that they must provide evidence if they do not have a political agenda.

Jaishankar said: “One of our biggest concerns is that they (Canada) have allowed organized crime from their territory. They have given political legitimacy to Khalistani elements and underground gangsters for vote bank politics.”

“We told them that if you give political legitimacy to such elements, it will be a problem for you and us. But Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is doing vote bank politics to save his government,” the minister said.

Jaishankar said India has discussed the issues regarding Khalistanis in Canada in detail. The Canadian government has a lot of knowledge about the Khalistanis living there, but has chosen to do nothing. “Even our extradition requests have been pending with them for a long time,” he said.