Trudeau has wrecked Canada-India political relations, says expelled envoy

OTTAWA (Reuters) – India’s envoy to Canada, who is being expelled over what Ottawa says are links to the murder of a Sikh leader, insisted in an interview he was innocent and said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had wrecked bilateral political ties.

Both countries on Monday ordered out six diplomats in tit-for-tat moves over Ottawa’s allegations that New Delhi was targeting Indian dissidents on Canadian soil.

Trudeau specifically tied the six to the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year in British Columbia. Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s envoy to Canada, told CTV that Trudeau had been relying on intelligence rather than evidence.

“On the basis of intelligence, if you want to destroy a relationship, be my guest. And that’s what he did,” Verma said in an interview broadcast on Sunday.

Asked whether he had had anything to with Nijjar’s murder, Verma said: “Nothing at all. No evidence was presented. (This is) politically motivated.”

Canada is home to the highest population of Sikhs outside their home state of Punjab and demonstrations in favor of a separate homeland carved out of India have irked New Delhi.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)