India maintains that the Trudeau government has long “consciously provided” a platform for violent extremists and individuals hostile to Indian diplomats and community leaders within Canada
On November 2, India dismissed allegations from Canada’s government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, that connected Union Home Minister Amit Shah to actions against pro-Khalistan activists in Canada, reported PTI.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly refuted these claims, describing them as “absurd and baseless” and asserting that they are part of a calculated strategy by Ottawa to discredit India on the global stage.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted these concerns during a media briefing, where he shared details of a diplomatic note that was delivered to the Canadian High Commission. The note directly addressed the statements made by Deputy Minister David Morrison before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in Ottawa on October 29, 2024. Jaiswal stated that India’s government “protests in the strongest terms” the allegations involving the Union Home Minister, calling them unfounded and deliberately misleading.
Jaiswal went on to underscore that the leak of these insinuations to international media aligns with Canada’s “conscious strategy” to damage India’s reputation and sway global perspectives. He cautioned that such “irresponsible actions” could have serious consequences for India-Canada relations.
This sustained hostility, India claims, fuels an unsafe environment for its representatives and citizens in Canada, casting further strain on diplomatic relations
This development follows statements from Trudeau’s National Security and Intelligence Advisor Nathalie Drouin and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison during a committee hearing. Both officials admitted to leaking information related to India’s alleged involvement in the death of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year to the American media before disclosing it domestically. The Globe and Mail reported that Drouin and Morrison pointed fingers at India’s Home Affairs Minister, alleging his involvement in violent operations—a claim India firmly denies.
In recent months, Trudeau has publicly insisted that Canada possesses “credible evidence” implicating India in Nijjar’s killing. However, during a recent inquiry into foreign interference, he acknowledged that Ottawa held only “intelligence inputs” and lacked concrete proof, which India has consistently demanded be presented.
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