India Responds to Canada and Expels Senior Diplomat

India announced today, Tuesday, that it has expelled a Canadian diplomat, giving him five days to leave the country. This decision comes just hours after Ottawa expelled the Indian intelligence chief in Canada and accused the Asian nation of involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated in a press release that it summoned the Canadian High Commissioner, or the Canadian ambassador, in New Delhi and informed him of the expulsion decision. The ministry added that "the decision reflects the Indian government's growing concern about the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal affairs and their involvement in anti-India activities." It continued: "The concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India within the next five days." Earlier on Tuesday, New Delhi rejected the Canadian accusations, describing them as "absurd and motivated" and urged Ottawa instead to take legal action against anti-India elements operating from its territory. This development is the latest in an escalating dispute between the two countries, as Canada stated on Monday that it is "closely monitoring reasonable accusations" linking agents of the Indian government to the assassination that occurred in British Columbia in June.