The son of Khalistan separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar says he feels "a sense of relief" after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in his father's killing, the CBC news reported.
Balraj Singh Nijjar was speaking publicly for the first time since the shooting death of his father Hardeep Singh on June 18, shortly after evening prayers at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey.
The Canadian prime minister on Monday said there are credible allegations of a potential link between "agents of the Indian government" and the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The 21-year-old said it was just a "matter of time" before the "truth came out."
Balraj said the Canadian PM's statement brought a sense of relief that the issue is finally coming to the public eye. He also thanked Trudeau, as well as federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who both condemned the killing in the House of Commons.
"Hopefully, you can take this a step further and get specific individuals," he said, addressing the leaders.
"If you place sanctions, whatever the next steps are, we're waiting as a family to see what it is," he added.
India has rejected Trudeau's allegations. Its Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement Monday night calling them "absurd" and "motivated." The relationship between both countries hit rock bottom after they expelled each other’s diplomats from their countries.
Njjiar was an outspoken supporter of the Khalistan movement, a longstanding separatist movement that has been banned by several Indian administrations over many years.
The Indian government had previously offered a reward for Hardeep's arrest, accusing him of a violent separatist movement for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan.
READ MORE | Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the pro-Khalistan activist whose killing has strained Indo-Canada ties