New Delhi. Relations between India and Canada have become quite bitter over the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been accusing Indian diplomats of being involved in it. Sanjay Kumar Verma, who was India's High Commissioner in Canada, along with five other Indian diplomats were declared a 'Person of Interest'. After this, bilateral relations deteriorated further. India called back Sanjay Verma and other diplomats to India. In an exclusive interview given to News 18 Hindi, Sanjay Verma revealed many things.

Highlights from the interview -:

Question: What is the reason that you and your 5 diplomats were nominated? Why so?

Answer: The Canadian government had probably made up its mind to spoil its relations with India. On October 12, the Canadian Foreign Ministry called me and I was told that you are a person of interest. You should ask your country to remove your diplomatic immunity so that we can interrogate you. They told us that (Hardeep Singh) Nijjar has been murdered and we need to interrogate him in that regard. We informed Delhi about this. Senior officers in Delhi told the acting high commissioner of Canada that you have broken the trust. If the trust is broken, we are calling back our diplomats. We were also told on the phone that you have to come back, but a day after that we were told by email that you and your 5 other companions are declared Persona non Grata i.e. unwanted.

Question: It has not happened with Pakistan and China that any Indian High Commissioner or Ambassador has been declared a Person of Interest. Was this also a conspiracy of the Trudeau government to arrest you people by making allegations?

Answer: As long as we had political immunity, no action could be taken against us there and no harm could come to us.

Question: You were also attacked with a sword…when and how did this happen?

Answer: This incident (of attack) happened after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India in the Canadian Parliament without any proof. I was in the Canadian state of Alberta. There was a public event where many people of Indian origin were present. There were many business people also. Wherever I used to go, anti-India activities used to take place. From the Prime Minister to the Foreign Minister and the Home Minister, everyone was insulted. These were common things. Our flag was insulted. The Canadian government had provided us security. When I stopped for a public event in Alberta, a Khalistani tried to break the police barricade. The Khalistani supporter had a sword in his hand. He extended the sword, but by then I had understood the matter. I had pulled myself back. I would only say that he had extended the sword to attack. It was just a few inches away from my body. The security personnel pushed him back again and took me inside. Sadly, one can go to this limit.

Question: Why is the Trudeau government doing this now? Is it because the elections are near?

Answer: I will not comment on Canada's internal matter, but the reality is that Khalistan separatists are gradually becoming bolder. It seems that they are being encouraged for anti-India activities.

Sanjay Kumar Verma said special things.

• There is a lot of discussion on Chinese interference in Canada's Foreign Interference Commission, but the Trudeau government gave more importance to the issue of India.
• In Canada, a Khalistani attacked me with a sword. I had a narrow escape by an inch. Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, who returned from Canada, made a big revelation.
• Goldie Brar's name was removed from the list of wanted in Canada. When asked, the Canadian government did not even give a satisfactory answer.
• Warning to parents of Indian students studying in Canada. Sanjay Verma said that parents should stay in constant touch with the students, otherwise the youth can get trapped in the clutches of Khalistani separatists.
• The biggest condition for India's better relations with Canada will be - not allowing Khalistani terrorists to use its land against India.

Question: There is a lot of talk about China's interference in Canada's Foreign Interference Commission, but the Trudeau government is giving more importance to India's issue, why is that so?

Answer: I cannot talk about China because I used to look after the relationship between India and Canada. Most of the discussions that were happening in Canada were indeed about China's interference in the commission. As far as India is concerned, there is a lawyer on behalf of the Khalistanis in this commission on the subject of India and he used to make allegations. After the allegations were made, government officials or leaders used to exaggerate the allegations. These leaders were part of the government. The Trudeau government does not have any concrete evidence. The part of natural justice that should have been there was not there. This means that one-sided talks are taking place and whatever you want to say can be said after recording it. One-sided allegations and one-sided debates are taking place.

Question: Why was no action taken on the extradition list of 26 people given by India and why was Goldie Brar's name removed?

Answer: Action was taken on some files and discussions were held with us, but there are 21 files on which no action was taken. I will assume that they do not want to take any action. We have sent all the evidence to Canada (regarding extradition). What would you call it if no action is taken and you sit on it for 10 years?

Question: What did you do with Goldie Brar?

Answer: We had told who Goldy Brar is and how he does illegal business in India. There is a civic organization in Canada called BOLO. This organization releases a list of wanted people. We were happy when Goldy's name was included in the first list, but later it was removed. When we asked, we did not get a satisfactory answer.

Question: What impact will Khalistani separatists have on Indian students?

Answer: In total, 30 lakh people of Indian origin and Indian citizens are present in Canada. Khalistan supporters and fundamentalists have given many threats. In the threats, people are asked to return to India. Even Hindu temples were attacked.

Question: What is the message for Indian students and Indian parents?

Answer: The message for Indian parents is clear that send your children there after getting information. Send them to a good university and not to a college which is made only for business, where there is only one class in a week and the rest of the time the children roam around. There are fewer jobs there. Living is difficult. Places are expensive. There is a problem with food, in such a situation children can get trapped in the clutches of extremists and they can be misled. Parents should talk to their children daily and know about their condition. If parents see any kind of suspicious situation then they should inform the police about it.

Question: Do you think that relations between India and Canada will improve after the departure of the Trudeau government and what will be the conditions for better relations?

Answer: India and Canada have always been good friends and should remain good friends. We are a democratic country. I would consider the present time to be different from the usual. What I see in the future is that relations should be good. The people of Canada will decide whose government will be there. I hope that whatever government is in Canada, they will know how India and Canada can take benefit from each other. India has one condition - control those who have an evil eye towards the integrity of India. Khalistanis should not be allowed to use Canadian soil against India.

Question: Network 18 conducted a survey on the people of Canada. According to the results of the survey, most people have supported the Indian government's stand. 80 percent of the people have held the Trudeau government responsible for the current bad relations.

Answer: Look, we are a democracy and most of the people say this, so this is the policy of the country.