Washington, DC [US], September 28 (ANI): US State Department on Wednesday knowledgeable that the India-Canada diplomatic standoff relating to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar did not come up throughout final week’s assembly between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Jaishankar had met his US counterpart Blinken in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa have been additionally current on the Quad assembly.
“That was not a bilateral meeting. It was a meeting of a number of countries. Did not come up in that meeting. We have engaged with our Indian counterparts on this issue and urged them to fully cooperate with the Canadian investigation,” stated State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller, whereas answering to India-Canada diplomatic row.
“As we have made clear, we have raised this. We have engaged with our Indian counter on this and encouraged them to cooperate with the Canadian investigation and we continue to encourage them to cooperate,” he added.
Early final week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an explosive assertion accusing the Indian authorities of being concerned within the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it’absurd’ and ‘motivated’.
Earlier, Antony Blinken had stated that Washington is “deeply concerned” concerning the allegations made by the Canadian PM concerning the Indian authorities’s involvement within the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, including that the US needs to see accountability and known as it “important” that the investigation runs its course and results in the end result.
“We are deeply concerned about the allegations that Prime Minister Trudeau has raised. We have been consulting throughout very closely with our Canadian colleagues, and not just consulting, coordinating with them on this issue,” Blinken stated.
He added,”And from our perspective, it is critical that the Canadian investigation proceed. And it would be important that India work with the Canadians on this investigation. We want to see accountability, and it’s important that the investigation run its course and lead to that result,” he added.
Notably, Canada has but to supply any public proof to assist the declare concerning the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India has suspended its visa companies in Canada, following Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations of Indian involvement within the killing.
Amid strained ties, India issued an advisory for its residents and those that are travelling to Canada to train”utmost caution in view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence” within the nation. (ANI)