India on Wednesday dismissed a Canadian media report as a “smear marketing campaign” that claimed that the Indian prime minister was conscious of an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Exterior affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal criticised the report, which quoted an unnamed Canadian official, labelling the claims as “ludicrous statements” deserving outright rejection.
“We don’t usually touch upon media reviews. Nonetheless, such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian authorities supply must be dismissed with the contempt they deserve,” he stated.
Jaiswal stated that smear campaigns like this solely worsen the already strained ties between India and Canada. He was addressing media queries in regards to the report printed within the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail.
The report, printed in The Globe and Mail, cited inputs from a senior nationwide safety official and alleged that India’s nationwide safety advisor (NSA) and exterior affairs minister have been additionally conscious of the purported plot.
Nijjar was gunned down exterior a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023, and Canadian authorities arrested and charged 4 Indian nationals for the homicide.
India has constantly acknowledged that Canada has failed to supply any proof supporting its allegation of Indian authorities involvement in Nijjar’s killing.
The Indian facet has repeatedly stated Canada has not offered any proof to again up its allegation that Indian authorities brokers have been linked to the killing of Nijjar, already designated a terrorist by New Delhi.
India-Canada relations deteriorated sharply final month after Canada accused Indian Excessive Commissioner Sanjay Verma and different diplomats of involvement within the homicide.
In its response, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and withdrew its envoy after Ottawa designated the Indian ambassador and different diplomats as “individuals of curiosity” within the investigation into the killing of pro-Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India had additionally condemned Canada’s actions as “preposterous” and accused the Justin Trudeau authorities of pursuing a political agenda.
New Delhi expelled Canadian Cost d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and 5 different diplomats following Canada’s allegations.
With PTI inputs
