NEW DELHI: Indian govt rapidly rebutted a report within the Canadian media alleging that PM Narendra Modi might need been conscious of the plot to kill Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, with ministry of exterior affairs saying in an announcement that such smear campaigns would solely additional injury the strained relationship.
The Globe and Mail report, attributed to an nameless senior nationwide safety official who labored on the “intelligence assessment” of alleged Indian foreign-interference operations in Canada, additionally linked exterior affairs minister S Jaishankar to the plot.
“We do not normally comment on media reports. However, such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian govt source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. Smear campaigns like this only further damage our already strained ties,” stated MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. Canada had earlier formally stated that residence minister Amit Shah had ordered assaults on Khalistani separatists energetic within the nation.
“While Canada does not have direct evidence that 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 Modi before proceeding,” the Globe report stated.
It additionally quoted the unidentified official as saying Canadian and American intelligence had tied the assassination operations to Shah. “Also in the loop, the official said, was Modi’s trusted national security adviser Ajit Doval and EAM Subrahmanyam Jaishankar,” it stated.
In accordance with the report, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau stated he had spoken to Indian officers about New Delhi’s foreign-interference actions in Canada.
