Canada denies reports linking Nijjar killing to PM Modi, NSA Doval

Days after India strongly objected to 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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Canada has officially denied the reports.

Nathalie G Drouin, the Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, in the statement issued by the Privy Council Office said, "On October 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the 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 added, "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".

"Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate", the statement concluded.

On November 20, India had strongly refuted the reports and said it should be dismissed with the "contempt they deserve." The Ministry of External Affairs had emphasised that "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 the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiwal.

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.