In a blunt and occasionally combative interview with Canada’s public broadcaster CBC on Tuesday, India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, charged Canadian authorities with having “failed for four decades” to curb terrorist activities on their territory. He argued that prolonged inaction by Ottawa had fostered an enabling atmosphere for extremist elements to operate and carry out violence directed at India.
The conversation, which aired as British Columbia Premier David Eby heads to India on a trade delegation and as Canada signals a tentative reset in relations with New Delhi, soon shifted away from economic cooperation to the most contentious issue between the two countries: allegations linked to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Canada’s broader response to extremist groups. Patnaik firmly rejected repeated claims by the CBC host that Canadian intelligence agencies and law enforcement possessed “credible information” implicating Indian operatives in Nijjar’s death.
“Where is the evidence?” the High Commissioner asked, insisting that the charges were unsubstantiated. He said accusations were being made without proof, adding that levelling allegations was easy. Patnaik then reversed the focus, accusing Canada of consistently failing over the years to investigate, prosecute or dismantle extremist networks operating within its borders.