Canada's Immigration Minister Marc Miller has refuted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's statement that Ottawa is 'lax' in admitting criminals into the country. Miller stated that thorough record checks are conducted on individuals entering Canada on student visas. Jaishankar's comments came after Canadian authorities charged three Indian nationals with the murder of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who reportedly entered Canada on student visas.
The accused, Karan Brar (22yrs), Kamalpreet Singh (22yrs), and Karanpreet Singh (28yrs), all Indian nationals residing in Edmonton, were charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Miller responded to Jaishankar's remarks by asserting that Canada is not lax in its procedures and that the Indian Foreign Minister is entitled to his opinion. Regarding the ongoing investigation, Miller declined to confirm whether the arrested individuals were in Canada on student visas.
The strained relations between India and Canada escalated following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing. Jaishankar criticized the Canadian government for not heeding India's requests to refrain from providing support to separatists. He emphasized that the situation in Canada related to the murder is not connected to India and is influenced by domestic politics. The Minister also highlighted the exploitation of Canada's democracy by certain pro-Khalistan groups to build a lobby and secure a voting block.