NEW DELHI: Canada on Friday issued a statement clarifying that it has no evidence linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, or National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to criminal activities in the country.
“On October 14, 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,” statement issued by intelligence advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau read as.
“The government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate,” it added.
The statement by Nathalie G. Drouin, the National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Canadian PM
This comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in October had publicly accused India of conducting covert operations in Canada that posed a significant threat to public safety. Trudeau claimed that Canadian officials had made multiple attempts to collaborate with Indian authorities but faced consistent refusals.
The Canadian Prime Minister stated that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had compelling evidence linking Indian government agents to activities such as information-gathering and coercion, including involvement in serious criminal acts. Trudeau condemned these actions and called for respect for Canada’s sovereignty.
India had categorically rejected these allegations, labelling them as baseless and politically motivated. The ministry of external affairs said that Trudeau’s government was using anti-India rhetoric for domestic political gains. They pointed to his past actions, including associations with political groups that advocate for separatism in India, as evidence of his longstanding hostility towards India.
The MEA also criticised Canada for providing a platform to extremist elements, especially in light of the investigation into Nijjar’s murder.
Following this, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and recalled its High Commissioner from Canada. The MEA summoned Canada’s charge d’affaires, Stewart Wheeler, to express discontent over the allegations and warned that further retaliatory actions could follow. India’s government, meanwhile, dismissed the claims of Modi’s involvement in Nijjar’s death as “ludicrous” and said that the accusations were designed to serve political purposes, further straining already tense relations.