India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took the unusual step of commenting on a report published in Canada’s Globe And Mail newspaper.
The report rather provocatively titled “Canada’s security agencies suspect Modi knew of plot to kill Sikh activist”, quotes an anonymous “senior national security official who worked on the intelligence assessment of New Delhi’s foreign interference operation in Canada.”
It said Canadian and US intelligence had tied the assassination operation to Home Minister Amit Shah. Also in the loop was National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The report says the Canadian official concerned did not have any direct evidence that Modi knew but “it would be unthinkable that three senior political figures in India would not have discussed the targeted killing with Mr Modi before proceeding.”
The paper went on to add, “This is the first time that Jaishankar has been connected to India’s foreign interference operations.”
The MEA spokesman said “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.”
India has repeatedly said Canada should come forward with hard evidence regarding its allegation that India was involved in the assassination of Khalistani sympathiser Hardeep Singh Nijjar. But even the Canadians have admitted they had only intelligence.
The report in the Globe and Mail would only confirm the view in India, that the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is being driven by forces that are entirely domestic and probably linked to his survival in office.
In this situation, it would seem that relations with India are secondary, which is what the Indian statement clearly says. The Globe and Mail report neither adds credibility to Canada’s charge against India nor helps bilateral relations
