Amid rising tensions between India and Canada, the Indian government has strongly rejected claims made in a Canadian news report suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the report as part of a “smear campaign” and dismissed it as baseless.
The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, cited unnamed Canadian officials alleging that PM Modi had prior knowledge of the assassination plot targeting Nijjar. According to the report, India’s National Security Advisor and External Affairs Minister were also reportedly informed about the plan. In response, Jaiswal said, “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.”
The report comes in the wake of heightened diplomatic tensions between the two nations following the killing of Nijjar in Vancouver in June of the previous year. Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani terrorist and Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. His death triggered a diplomatic crisis when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of being involved in the murder. Trudeau stated that “credible information” had been shared with intelligence partners, including the United States, suggesting India’s role in the assassination.
Further exacerbating the situation, Canada expelled Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma along with several other diplomats, accusing them of involvement in the killing. In retaliation, India expelled Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats. Trudeau, speaking on the matter, criticized the Indian government, saying, “It is obvious the Government of India made a fundamental error in thinking they could engage in supporting criminal activity against Canadians, here on Canadian soil.”
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Nijjar was the mastermind behind the banned terrorist organization, the Khalistan Tiger Force, and was listed as one of India’s most wanted criminals. He faced charges related to several violent crimes, including the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had even announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to his capture.
