Hardeep Singh Nijjar Murder Row: In a new flashpoint between India and Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly refuted allegations reported in Canadian media, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had prior knowledge of the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia and other violent plots. The report alleged that Canadian security agencies suspect Prime Minister Modi was aware of Nijjar's killing as well as 'other violent plots' in Canada.


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Responding to the allegations published in The Globe and Mail, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed them as baseless and damaging to already strained relations between the two countries. "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," Jaiswal said.


The Globe and Mail article cited unnamed Canadian security officials, alleging that intelligence assessments tied the assassination operations to India's Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah. The report also claimed that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar were involved and suggested it was "unthinkable" that Prime Minister Modi was not informed about the plots to kill Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.


While the report noted that Canada lacks direct evidence linking Modi to the incidents, it relied on the assertion of a senior national-security official who speculated that discussions would have taken place among top Indian officials before any action was carried out.


Even Canadian PM Justin Trudeau had admitted that Ottawa has no evidence to prove its allegations. In a statement before the Commission in Parliament, Trudeau mentioned that Canada has intelligence but no concrete evidence regarding the matter. He added that while Canada is willing to collaborate with India, efforts to engage in joint investigations have been met with refusal, with India unwilling to cooperate.


The Indian government’s sharp rebuttal highlights the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two nations, following earlier controversies over allegations of foreign interference and targeted violence. These new claims are expected to further strain bilateral ties.