The UK joined the US, Australia, and NZ in backing Canada amid escalating diplomatic tensions with India over the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated it has full confidence in Canada’s judicial system and urged India to cooperate with the investigation, emphasizing that respect for sovereignty and the rule of law is essential. The Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance are now asking India for accountability and to comply with Canada’s legal process (SDW Vol 1, Issue 1, Story 1). At the same time, the AAP govt. in Panjab maintained its silence on the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic row. Panjab INC leader, Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi was the first to respond saying, ‘the involvement of Union Home Minister, National Security Advisor and Bishnoi in the case are a blot on India’. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and Sukhpal Singh Khaira criticized CM Bhagwant Singh Mann for not addressing the concerns of a million Panjabis in Canada for not countering media narratives that portray Sikhs as Khalistanis. Panjab Chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring hinted, ‘something fishy is happening between the agencies and (Lawrence) Bishnoi.’ Former Panjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi asked rhetorically ‘Who creates these gangsters?’ hinting at the role politicians play in encouraging criminals. Meanwhile, India accused Canada of failing to act on extradition requests for 26 individuals associated with the Bishnoi gang expressing concern that those individuals are now being blamed by Canada for committing crimes in that country.
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