This is too much, Canada spews venom in PM Modi’s name; India punished

New Delhi: (India Canada relations) India on Wednesday strongly condemned a Canadian media report which claimed that the Indian Prime Minister was aware of an alleged plot to kill Sikh terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijhar. This report has been published quoting an unnamed official.

What did the Indian government say?

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that such absurd statements should be rejected. “Such an aggressive campaign further damages our already strained relations,” he said. Jaiswal was answering media questions about a report published in the Canadian newspaper ‘The Globe and Mail’.

What was claimed in the report

The newspaper has cited information received from a senior national security official in the report. The report claims that India’s National Security Advisor and Foreign Minister were also aware of this conspiracy. India-Canada relations soured last month after Canada linked Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and some other diplomats to murder charges.

India outright rejected all the allegations made by Canada in this matter and later recalled the High Commissioner. Following Canada’s allegations, India expelled Canada’s charge d’affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats.

Terrorist killed in Canada

Last year in June 2023, he was shot by two gunmen dressed in black outside a Sikh temple. However, it has not yet been revealed who murdered Nizhar.

Canada has been continuously accusing India in this regard. Canada claims that Indian officials are involved in killing the terrorist. India initially denied any involvement in Nizhar’s killing. Apart from this, the allegations of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have also been described as absurd.

Nizhar used to work for Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. India had sought Nizhar’s extradition several times, but Canada not only granted him asylum but also citizenship.

Nizhar was born in Jalandhar district of Punjab. He moved to Canada in 1997 during his youth. After this he got married there. He worked as a plumber in Canada.