India criticises Canada for linking minister to Sikh plots


  • World
  • Saturday, 02 Nov 2024

FILE PHOTO: India's Home Minister Amit Shah attends an inauguration ceremony of Gopalanand Swami Yatrik Bhavan at a temple premises in Salangpur, in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 31, 2024. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's foreign ministry said on Saturday it had lodged a protest with Canada for linking its home minister to alleged plots against Sikh separatists on Canadian soil.

The ministry also accused Ottawa of surveillance of some Indian consular staff.

Canada's global affairs department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, made outside usual work hours.

The Washington Post newspaper first reported in October that Canadian officials alleged Amit Shah, considered the number two in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, was behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists in Canada.

Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison told a parliamentary panel on Tuesday that he had told The Washington Post that Shah was behind the plots.

"It was conveyed in a note that the government of India protests in the strongest terms to the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India," foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday.

Jaiswal said what he called Canada's "unfounded insinuations" would have serious consequences for bilateral ties between the two nations.

Jaiswal also said Canada has informed India's consular officials that they have been under audio and video surveillance, and that India viewed this as "harassment and intimidation". He did not say when Canada informed Indian officials about this.

India has previously denied any role in the 2023 murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the alleged targeting of other dissidents there. The dispute has led to expulsions of diplomats in both countries.

(Reporting by Shivangi AcharyaEditing by Jason Neely and Frances Kerry)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In World

US restaurant chain TGI Fridays files for bankruptcy
Combative Badenoch to steer UK Conservatives towards populist right
Kemi Badenoch wins race to become new leader of Britain's Conservatives
Greek police arrest man over Athens apartment blast
Spain mounts biggest peacetime disaster recovery operation as death toll reaches 211
Trump, Harris head to North Carolina in US election campaign's final weekend
North Korea, Russia reaffirm commitment to partnership accord
UK's Starmer pledges more growth reforms after budget hit to markets
Russia targets Kyiv in hours-long drone attack
World's largest captive crocodile Cassius dies in Australia

Others Also Read