Ottawa: The Canadian government has officially retracted recent media reports alleging the involvement of senior Indian leaders in criminal activities within Canada.
Nathalie G. Drouin, the National Security and Intelligence Advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stated that the government is “not aware” of any evidence supporting these claims.
The controversy began when an unnamed Canadian media source reported that Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were aware of a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Vancouver last year. The report, which cited anonymous Canadian officials, was swiftly dismissed by India as part of a “smear campaign.”
In a statement issued on Friday, Drouin emphasized that the allegations were “speculative and inaccurate,” and clarified that no proof had been presented to substantiate the claims. This follows an October 14 public warning by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which had linked agents of the Indian government to serious criminal acts on Canadian soil. However, the Canadian government has distanced itself from these assertions, stressing the lack of credible evidence.
The Indian government has vehemently denied the accusations, with External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urging the public to disregard the “absurd” allegations. The diplomatic relationship between India and Canada has been strained since the killing of Nijjar, a key figure linked to the banned Khalistan Tiger Force. Prime Minister Trudeau had previously claimed to have “credible” intelligence suggesting Indian involvement, a stance that India has consistently rejected.
The retraction by the Canadian government marks a significant step in addressing the diplomatic tensions between the two nations. Both countries are now expected to engage in further dialogue to resolve the issues and restore their bilateral relations.
