Trudeau Government Denies Allegations Linking PM Modi, Jaishankar, and Doval to Criminal Activities in Canada
The Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government on Friday dismissed claims connecting 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 serious criminal activity within Canada,” said Nathalie G. Drouin, National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister.
Drouin further described any suggestions to the contrary as “speculative and inaccurate.”
The statement also referenced the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which, on October 14, publicly accused agents of the Indian government of engaging in serious criminal activities in Canada due to what it called a “significant and ongoing threat to public safety.”
India Rejects Allegations
India responded sharply to a recent Globe and Mail report that attempted to link PM Modi, S Jaishankar, and Ajit Doval to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a National Investigation Agency (NIA)-designated terrorist. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the report as “ludicrous” and harmful to the already strained India-Canada ties.
“Smear campaigns like this further damage our ties,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiwal stated.
India-Canada Diplomatic Dispute
Relations between India and Canada have deteriorated significantly, with India criticizing Canada for allowing extremist and anti-India activities within its borders.
This ongoing diplomatic row began when Trudeau claimed to have “credible allegations” linking India to the assassination of Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani figure killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2022. India has rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.”
Tensions escalated further when India recalled six diplomats from Canada after they were labeled “persons of interest” in the investigation into Nijjar’s killing.
The MEA emphasized that the allegations and media narratives harm bilateral ties, urging Canada to act against extremist elements within its territory.
