On Wednesday, the government dismissed a Canadian newspaper’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi knew about the planned assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs described the media reports as “absurd.”
“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,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
In a concerning development that may worsen the already tense relationship between India and Canada, a report stated that an unnamed Canadian national security official claimed Union Home Minister Amit Shah was behind the alleged assassination plot. The report also mentioned that PM Modi, along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, were briefed about the plan.
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The report also stated that there was no evidence supporting Canada’s claim against PM Modi.
A news report stated that although Canada lacks direct evidence linking Mr. Modi to the targeted killings, it is believed that he must have been aware of the discussions among three senior political figures in India before the incidents occurred.
