A India flag waves in the wind at the High Commission of India on October 3, 2023, in Ottawa, Canada. – AFP
India has cautioned Canada about the potential for further harm to their already tense relationship, following allegations in Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of a purported campaign targeting Sikh activists. Ottawa previously accused India of masterminding the 2023 killing of 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistan campaigner, and of targeting other Sikh activists linked to the movement. Nijjar, 45, was gunned down by masked assailants outside the Sikh temple he led, after being sought by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism offenses and conspiracy to commit murder—charges he denied. India has consistently refuted these allegations, which have plunged diplomatic relations into a downward spiral, leading to the expulsion of senior diplomats by both nations last month. New Delhi has previously denied that Interior Minister Amit Shah plotted to target Sikh activists on Canadian soil, and formally rebuked Ottawa over what it called an 'absurd and baseless' accusation. The Globe and Mail reported on Tuesday that Canadian security agencies 'believe' Modi was aware of the alleged campaign targeting Canadian Sikh activists. 'Such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian government source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve,' India's foreign ministry stated in a statement late Wednesday. 'Smear campaigns like this only further damage our already strained ties.' The newspaper quoted an unnamed Canadian official as saying that Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were 'also in the loop.' 'The assessment is that it would be unthinkable that three senior political figures in India would not have discussed the targeted killings with Mr. Modi before proceeding,' the official told the Toronto daily.
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