Justin Trudeau govt denies linking PM Narendra Modi, S Jaishankar to criminal activities within Canada: ‘Speculative’

The Justin Trudeau government on Friday denied linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and national security advisor Ajit Doval to criminal activities within Canada.

“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,” a statement from the national security and intelligence advisor to the Canadian prime minister Nathalie G Drouin said.

“Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate,” it added.

The statement also said on October 14, because of a “significant and ongoing threat to public safety”, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or 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”.

The statement from the Canadian government comes after India on November 20 strongly refuted a report in the Canada-based Globe and Mail newspaper that attempted to draw a connection between the death of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Nijjar to PM Narendra Modi, S Jaishankar and Ajit Doval.

The ministry of external affairs said it should be dismissed with the “contempt they deserve”. The MEA had emphasised “smear campaigns” like this only “further damage our already strained ties”.

“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. Smear campaigns like this only further damage our already strained ties,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiwal.

India-Canada diplomatic row

India’s ties with Canada have seen sharp deterioration with India repeatedly expressing its deep concern about extremism and the culture of violence and anti-India activities in Canada and has asked Canadian authorities to take action against these activities.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had claimed that he has “credible allegations” of India’s hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year.

India has denied all the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated” and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country.

Earlier, India recalled six diplomats from Canada after they were declared “persons of interest” by the Canadian government in the investigation into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar was killed outside the Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year.