'No Evidence': Canada On Backfoot After India Slams Media Report Linking PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar To Nijjar Killing Plot

The Canadian government on Friday (22 November) dismissed a media report alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

This comes a day after India on Thursday (21 November) strongly rejected the Canadian media report, labelling it as "ludicrous".

The report by Canada’s Globe and Mail, citing unnamed Canadian officials, alleged that Prime Minister Modi, along with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, was privy to plans to eliminate Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In a statement on Friday, Canadian National security and intelligence advisor to the Canadian PM, Nathalie G Drouin, said the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led government is "not aware" of any evidence of the claims made by a Canadian media house citing unnamed officials.

"On October 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the Government of India. The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of the evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada," the statement read.

In response to the claim made in the Globe and Mail report, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the report a "smear campaign".

The diplomatic ties between India and Canada have deteriorated significantly since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged last year that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist and the leader of the proscribed terror organisation ‘Khalistan Tiger Force.’

Trudeau described his claims as "credible allegations."

India has categorically rejected the allegations, accusing Trudeau of catering to Khalistani sympathisers for political gains amidst declining public support in Canada.

Terming the accusations "absurd" and "politically motivated," India also refuted claims made last month by the Canadian government, which implicated Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and other diplomats in the case.

The Centre highlighted that Canada has failed to share any substantive proof to substantiate its allegations.

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