New Delhi: India on Wednesday trashed the “ludicrous statements” made by a Canadian “government source” to a Canadian daily alleging that PM Modi was in the know about the killing of a prominent Khalistani extremist in British Columbia a year ago and of “other violent plots”.
The MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal commenting on the Globe and Mail report also said that smear campaigns like this will only further damage the strained ties.
The statement read:
“We do not normally comment on media reports. However, such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian government source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. Smear campaigns like this only further damage our already strained ties.”
The Globe and Mail report, citing an unnamed “government source”, alleged that not only was Home Minister Amit Shah in the know, but that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were also in the loop.
The Globe and Mail report said:
“Canadian security agencies believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India knew about the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia and other violent plots, according to a senior national-security official who worked on the intelligence assessment of New Delhi’s foreign-interference operations in Canada.
“The official said Canadian and American intelligence tied the assassination operations to Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah. Also in the loop, the official said, was Mr. Modi’s trusted national-security adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
“While Canada does not have direct evidence that Mr. Modi knew, the official said the assessment is that it would be unthinkable that three senior political figures in India would not have discussed the targeted killings with Mr. Modi before proceeding.
“The Globe and Mail is not identifying the official who was not authorized to discuss national-security matters.
“This is the first time that Mr. Jaishankar had been connected to India’s foreign-interference operations.”
Last month, matters went to a head when both countries expelled six of each others’ diplomats in a tit-for-tat move over allegations concerning the killing of prominent Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia last year.
Canada has alleged the involvement of Indian diplomats in the killing of Nijjar, an Indo-Canadian. India has denied the allegations and asked for concrete proof to back the allegations, which Ottawa has been unable to provide so far.
UNI
