Hardeep Singh Nijjar: Anger in India as Trudeau points finger over murder

Memories of the decade-long armed Sikh insurgency - which peaked in the 1980s and in which thousands of people died - remain strong in India.

So when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Delhi of involvement in the death of a Canadian Sikh leader, many Indians reacted angrily.

Mr Trudeau said Canadian intelligence was looking at "credible allegations potentially linking" the Indian state to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent campaigner for a separate Sikh homeland who was shot dead on 18 June in British Columbia (BC).

India has rejected the claim as "absurd".

As Delhi and Ottawa face-off in their worst-ever diplomatic row, Indian analysts, political commentators and leaders have been sounding off on social media.

Canada, Justin Trudeau and Hardeep Singh Nijjar have been the top trends on X (formerly Twitter).

One user wrote that Delhi had given a "befitting reply" to Canada while another said the government had "put Trudeau in his place".

Some of India's prominent news websites have been running headlines about how India "thrashed" and "hit back" at Canada with its "savage reply".

India's main opposition Congress party - which has recently rarely been on the same page with the government - has also extended support and said there should be "no compromise of any kind in our country's fight against terrorism".

"Especially when terrorism threatens the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. The interests and concerns of our country must always be kept paramount," party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh posted on X.