New Delhi: India dismissed a report published by Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, calling it a “smear campaign” aimed at damaging already strained relations between the two nations.
The report, citing an unnamed Canadian official, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with senior officials, was aware of a plot to kill Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader who was killed in Canada in 2022.
EAM spokesperson Jaiswal dismisses allegations as baseless
Responding to the report, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the allegations as baseless. He criticised the claims, saying, “Such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian government source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve.” He added that such smear campaigns would only worsen the already tense relationship between India and Canada.
The media report alleged that India’s National Security Advisor and External Affairs Minister were also informed about the alleged plan. India, however, firmly denies all allegations related to Nijjar’s murder.
Hardeep Singh Najjar’s murder
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a vocal advocate for Sikh separatism, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada in 2022. In October, the situation between the two nations worsened when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested a possible Indian link to the killing, as reported by PTI.
Following these accusations, Canada expelled Indian high commissioner Sanjay Verma and other Indian diplomats. In response, India expelled Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other Canadian diplomats, further deepening the diplomatic rift.
