A leading Canadian newspaper on Wednesday reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year. The Justin Trudeau government had alleged potential involvement of Indian agents in the incident, sparking a diplomatic face-off between the two countries.
New Delhi has strenuously denied any complicity in Nijjar’s murder.
An unnamed Canadian national security official told the Globe and Mail that the Canadians are convinced that the plot to kill Nijjar was led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were all informed about it, he further said.
Though the Canadian authorities had earlier linked Shah to the alleged plot, this is the first time an accusation has been made against Modi, Jaishankar and Doval in this regard.
“The official said the (Canadian) assessment is that it would be unthinkable that three senior political figures in India would not have discussed the targeted killings with Mr. Modi before proceeding,” the report said.
India hit back at the newspaper report, saying such “smear campaigns” would further damage the already strained ties 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,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
India-Canada relations nosedived after Justin Trudeau said last year that there was credible intelligence linking Indian government agents to the killing of Nijjar.
The diplomatic tension escalated further last month after Canada alleged the involvement of the Indian high commissioner in the incident, drawing a sharp reaction from New Delhi.
India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced withdrawing its high commissioner from Canada after dismissing Ottawa’s allegations.
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