Sanjay Kumar Verma, the outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Canada, has accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of ruining bilateral relations between the two countries for political purposes.

India recalled Verma and some other diplomats from Canada after Ottawa appointed him ‘person of interest’ in investigation into murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In an interview with the Canadian private channel CTV, Sanjay Verma said: “Canada did not follow the practice that should have existed. The evidence should have been shared first, but someone (Trudeau) decided to stand in Parliament and talk about something that he himself said there was no hard evidence for.”

“And since the day he did this, he has ensured that bilateral relations with India will only deteriorate and even collapse,” he added.

Sanjay Verma was referring to Justin Trudeau’s speech to the Canadian Parliament in September last year, when he alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in the murder of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.

Despite making him a “person of interest” in the Nijjar murder case, Canada has not provided any evidence to India, which Trudeau admitted in inquiry into foreign interference on October 16.

“The problem is that when he made the accusation, he himself admitted that there was no solid evidence. There was intelligence. Based on the intelligence, if you want to destroy a relationship, be my guest ” said Verma.

Sanjay Verma said the evidence cited by Canada is hearsay. “I know, for sure, that they are going from person to person asking them about hearsay. Most of them are pro-Khalistan elements, anti-India elements,” he declared.

Verma also pointed out Western hypocrisy, saying “the days when so-called developed countries would ask a developing country to do this are over, and they would run after them and do it.”

“We are a country of the rule of law, just as Canada prides itself on being a country of the rule of law. So won’t you provide me with evidence that is suitable for my own legal proceedings?” he asked.

Sanjay Verma said he and his colleagues were monitoring pro-Khalistan and anti-India elements in Canada, but without using covert means.

“If Canadian politicians are so new that they don’t want me to know what my enemies are doing here, then I’m sorry, they don’t know what international relations is,” Verma said.

“I know the countries that have done it (extrajudicial executions in foreign territory). And some of them are G7 countries. So let’s not talk about it. There shouldn’t be double standards, two measures,” he added.

Verma explained how his information-gathering mission in Canada unfolded.

“We read newspapers, we read their (pro-Khalistan groups) statements. Since we understand Punjabi, we read their social media posts and try to infer them,” he said.

Sanjay Verma highlighted that India, being the largest democracy in the world, is committed not to carry out extrajudicial killings in any territory.