India Calls Out Canada's "Inaction" As Only Five Out Of 26 Extradition Requests Of Khalistani Terrorists Addressed

1In an interview with Press Trust of India (PTI) this week, Sanjay Verma, India’s former High Commissioner to Canada, disclosed that out of 26 extradition requests submitted to Canada for individuals identified as Khalistani terrorists, only five cases have been resolved by Ottawa, while the remaining cases continue to face indefinite delays.

Verma attributed this situation to "inaction" on Canada’s part. "According to the last information that I had, five of them have been resolved. 21 are still pending, and these are pending since decades. So, I would say that there is an inaction rather than consultation," he said.

"All the issues which get into the judicial system of a country, sometimes need consultations, because we follow two different judicial systems. But, if there is no action in the last four to five or 10 years, then I would only call it inaction", Verma added.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, these 26 extradition requests are for people who have been charged in India with terror and related crimes.

India has also sought "provisional arrest" of several of the accused, which remains pending with Canada, under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. Among those named by the ministry are Gurjeet Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Lakhbir Singh Landa, and Arshdeep Singh Gill.

Highlighting India’s primary concern Verma said,"It has been told many times to our Canadian friends that our core concern is the anti-India elements there, the Khalistani extremists and terrorists over there, who keep challenging India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. They (Canada) will need to somewhere handle them.”

He strictly pointed out the fact that Khalistanis in Canada are Canadian citizens, not Indian nationals. "So, what will be the future of India, this will be decided by Indians. Foreigners will not decide it. They are ... of Indian origin but for us they are foreigners. Foreigners never had, have, or will have any right to interfere in our internal affairs.”

On 14 Octoberw33, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that it is withdrawing the Indian high commissioner and other diplomats after they were labeled as 'persons of interest' by Ottawa in its probe into the killing of pro- Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Following this Canada's Charge d'Affaires was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs and was told that the baseless "targeting" of Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and other diplomats and officials was "completely unacceptable.

Following this, India has asked six Canadian diplomats including Charge d'Affaires Wheelers and Deputy High Commissioner Patrick Hebert to leave India by or before 11:59 pm on 19 October.

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