Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry voiced his displeasure with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's remarks on India's alleged role in the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In an interview with ANI, Sabry called Trudeau's comments "outrageous and unsubstantiated."
He also emphasised the bad impact on bilateral relations of Trudeau's previous allegation of "genocide" in Sri Lanka, and encouraged Canada to desist from interfering in the affairs of sovereign nations.
Sabry emphasised the significance of countries respecting one another's sovereignty and refraining from interfering in their domestic affairs.
He emphasised that Sri Lanka valued its autonomy and urged states to work together to build a peaceful environment in the region.
He was certain that Sri Lanka's governance should not be influenced by foreign countries.
The animosity between Canada and Sri Lanka had risen after Trudeau declared May 18 as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in Canada, a move fiercely criticised by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry as a politically motivated declaration for home consumption.
Surprisingly, Milinda Moragoda, the outgoing Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, expressed sympathy for India's response to Trudeau's statements.
He praised India's forceful and straightforward response to the claims made by Canada's Prime Minister.
Moragoda, who has personally experienced terrorism in Sri Lanka, emphasised the country's zero tolerance for terrorist operations in view of the country's long history of suffering from terrorism.
The key issue that sparked tensions between India and Canada was Trudeau's claim that India was complicit in the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, a terrorist in India, was assassinated on June 18 by unidentified gunmen in Surrey, British Columbia. India flatly denied Trudeau's claims, calling them ridiculous and motivated by political concerns.
This sparked a diplomatic confrontation, with both countries retaliating with measures such as diplomat expulsions and visa restrictions.
India has also raised concern about the safety of its nationals in Canada, citing rising anti-India sentiment and politically sanctioned hate crimes. Canada, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), has become a "safe haven" for Khalistani terrorists and fanatics.
This situation had prompted concerns about the safety of Hindu-Canadians, especially after a pro-Khalistani organisation called Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) issued a video warning Hindus in Canada and urged them to leave the country immediately.
