Canada's U-turn: PM Trudeau now says no evidence to link Modi, Jaishankar, Doval to crimes in the country

The Justin Trudeau government denied any connection between criminal activity in Canada and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Nov 22.

"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,” reads a statement from the national security and intelligence advisor to the Canadian prime minister, Nathalie G. Drouin.

"Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate,” it added.

The statement also highlighted that on Oct 14, due to a "significant and ongoing threat to public safety," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and officials took the "extraordinary step" of publicly accusing agents of the Government of India of engaging in serious criminal activity within Canada.

The Canadian government made the statement after India on Nov 20 strongly rejected a report in the Canadian Globe and Mail newspaper that sought to link PM Narendra Modi, S Jaishankar, and Ajit Doval to the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Nijjar.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) said that it should be discarded with the "contempt they deserve." The MEA has emphasized that "smear campaigns" like this "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 MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiwal.

India has recently expressed its deep concern over extremism, the culture of violence, and anti-Indian activities in Canada, and it has urged Canadian authorities to take action against these activities.

On Nov 13, a consular event at the Brampton Triveni Temple in Canada was canceled after Canadian police issued a warning about the "extremely high and imminent" threat level of violent protests.

India condemned the attack with an expectation that those indulging in violence "will be prosecuted.”

Following the clash, Trudeau acknowledged the presence of Khalistani supporters in Canada, saying that there is a Khalistan support base in the country.

However, he quickly clarified that they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole.

Days after Trudeau made a shocking revelation about the presence of a Khalistan support network in Canada, Arshdeep Singh Gill, a terrorist linked to the Khalistani movement and known as Arsh Dalla, was detained in Canada on Nov 10.

Last year, Trudeau claimed that he had "credible allegations" that India was involved in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar in Canada.

India has repeatedly denied any connection to the killing of Nijjar, who the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has listed as a terrorist, and alleged that Trudeau's government was caving in to Khalistani supporters for political advantage.

India has strongly rejected any involvement in Nijjar's murder, an allegation made by the Trudeau government.

Sanjay Kumar Verma, the Indian envoy, claimed that terrorists and Khalistani extremists are "deep assets" of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

India-Canada diplomatic relations are deteriorating due to repeated and unsubstantiated claims by Trudeau that "agents" of Delhi conspire with criminal gangs, including the Lawrence Bishnoi outfit, to "target (the) South Asians" in Canada.

Verma emphasized that since he was appointed High Commissioner in Canada in Sep 2022, "not a shred of evidence" has been shared with him.

In fact, according to Verma, India provided Canada with proof of extremist organizations, but "no action was taken."

The situation intensified when Canadian federal authorities connected the Bishnoi gang and named Verma, the longest-serving diplomat in India, as a "person of interest" in "homicide, extortion, intimidation, and coercion" incidents.

In response to Canada's treatment of Verma, New Delhi issued an order for Stewart Wheeler, the acting high commissioner of Ottawa, along with his deputy and four first secretaries, to depart from the country by midnight on Oct 13.

On Oct 14, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, accusing them of being part of a larger plot to attack Indian dissidents in Canada and connecting them to the death of Sikh separatist leader Nijjar.

Verma was also designated as a 'persona non grata,' a diplomatic term that means a ‘person who is no longer welcome.’ He is the first Indian diplomat to ever be treated as such.

On June 18, 2023, Nijjar was killed outside the Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.