India has protested in the strongest possible terms the references made by a Canadian minister about Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said such "absurd and baseless" allegations will have serious consequences for bilateral ties between the two countries. India has also summoned a Canadian High Commission representative and the official was served a diplomatic note regarding this.
#WATCH | MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "Some of our Consular officials were recently informed by the Canadian Government that they have been and continue to be under audio and video surveillance. Their communications have also been intercepted. We have formally protested… pic.twitter.com/R6Gi90rJB9
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2024
Canada's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison, on Tuesday, alleged that Shah ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation, and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists inside Canada. He had also told Canadian Parliament members of the national security committee that he had confirmed Shah's name to The Washington Post, which first reported the allegations. Morrison, however, did not say how Canada knew of Shah's alleged involvement.
Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this revelation that high Canadian government officials deliberately leaked unfounded insinuations to international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view that the Indian government has long held about the current Canadian government's political agenda and behavioural pattern.
Jaiswal said such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties.
"It was conveyed in the (diplomatic) note that the government of India protests in the strongest terms to the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison," Jaiswal said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said a year ago that Canada had credible evidence agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
Dismissing the allegations as absurd, India consistently denied that Canada provided evidence.
