Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 15 : Amid the escalating diplomatic row between India and Canada, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday suggested that India should pursue friendly relations with Canada and not abandon the path of diplomacy.
"I regret this situation; we should establish a friendship. If they claim that our Indian government did this, the Indian government denies it. I don't have much information on the matter. How did they receive the information they're discussing? It was provided to Canada by the U.S. American intelligence informed Canada that individuals from India's RAW were involved in Nijjar's murder. They supplied evidence, which Canada has now presented to the Indian government. I don't know what the Indian government will do, but we should not stray from the path of friendship," he added.
Earlier, top sources had dismissed the claims made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other officials about presenting "credible evidence" to India regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Sources indicated that Canada's approach, from the outset, has been to make "vague accusations" and shift the burden of denial onto India.
Further, sources noted that during the press conference, Trudeau repeated "the same old things for the same old reasons."
While addressing the press conference on Monday, Trudeau accused agents of the Indian government of engaging in "clandestine information-gathering techniques, coercive behaviour targeting Canadians, and involvement in threatening and violent acts."
India on Monday expelled six Canadian diplomats shortly after summoning Canada's Charge d'Affaires, Stewart Wheeler, and conveyed that the "baseless targeting" of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats in Canada was entirely unacceptable.
This action followed Canada's expulsion of six Indian diplomats after police collected evidence suggesting they were part of an Indian government "campaign of violence," according to a Reuters report citing a Canadian government source.
Relations between India and Canada deteriorated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a parliamentary address last year, claimed to have "credible allegations" of India's involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot in Surrey in June last year.