International Desk: Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin has criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for making allegations against India of being involved in the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader and Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Rubin has called Trudeau’s allegations a “huge mistake” and has said that Canada lacks sufficient evidence to support its claims.
“Prime Minister Trudeau I think has made a huge mistake. He has made a llegations in a manner which he hasn’t been able to back. Either he was shooting from the hip and he doesn’t have the evidence to support the
accusations he made against the government. There is some thing there, in which case he needs to explain why this government was sheltering a terrorist, “the former Pentagon official said when asked about his views on the Canadian PM’s allegations against the Indian government.
Rubin has also warned that Trudeau’s allegations could damage India-Canada relations. He has said that India is a key partner for Canada in the region and that Canada should not be making allegations against India without proof.
Trudeau’s allegations have been met with skepticism by many experts. Some have pointed out that there is no evidence to support the claims and that Nijjar was a controversial figure with links to Sikh separatist groups. Others have suggested that Trudeau’s allegations may be motivated by a desire to win the support of Sikh voters in Canada.
The Indian government has denied Trudeau’s allegations and has said that they are “baseless” and “defamatory.” India has also summoned the Canadian ambassador to protest against the allegations.
It remains to be seen how the allegations will affect India-Canada relations. However, it is clear that Trudeau’s allegations have caused a great deal of anger and resentment in India.