Trudeau's allegations 'politically driven', India unable to carry out visa services due to security situation in Canada: MEA

As India and Canada are engaged in a diplomatic tiff, the MEA spokesperson Arindam Baghchi, in a media briefing in Delhi on Thursday, said the allegations made by Canadian PM Trudeau were "politically driven' as Canada hadn't given any specific information about its allegations of India's hand in the killing of a pro-Khalistan activist on its soil.

New Delhi: Amid a diplomatic standoff over the killing of a pro-Khalistan activist, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that Canada has not shared any material on the allegations first made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and India, given the "security situation", was unable to carry out visa services for Canada for the time being.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Baghchi, in a media briefing here, said allegations made by Canadian PM Trudeau were "politically driven'. "Canada has not given any specific information about its allegations of India's hand in the killing of a Khalistani terrorist on its soil, and the allegation appears to be "politically driven", the MEA said.

Bagchi told reporters that India has told Canada it is willing to look into the matter, but Canada has not shared any material on the allegations first made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"No specific information was shared by Canada then, before, or after. We are willing to look at specific information if provided to us. From our side, we have very specific information on particular individuals in Canada and all these have been shared with them. But Canada has't acted on them," Bagchi said.

He said that the Indian high commission and consulates in Canada were temporarily unable to process visa applications as work was disrupted due to security issues. The temporary suspension of visas to Canadians, the MEA spokesperson said, will cover Canadian visa applicants in third countries too.

The MEA spokesperson said there was "degree of prejudice" as far as Canadian PM Trudeau's allegations against India on killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada were concerned. "India has conveyed its position to Canada," the MEA spokesperson said.

India and Canada are at loggerheads over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent pro-Khalistan Sikh activist. Earlier in the day, the Indian government had announced the suspension of visa services for Canadian citizens "till further notice." The move came in the wake of a bitter international dispute over allegations that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's administration possesses intelligence connecting New Delhi to the murder of Nijjar.