US terms Canada’s allegations against PM Modi's trusted ally Amit Shah ‘concerning’ amid claims of Khalistani targeting

The United States on Oct 30 termed Canada's allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah as 'concerning' and added that it would continue to consult Ottawa on the issue.

Canada on Oct 29 alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trusted ally Shah was behind plots to target Sikh separatists on Canadian soil.

"The allegations made by the government of Canada are concerning, and we will continue to consult with the Canadian government about those allegations," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference.

Earlier, Canada's National Security and Intelligence Adviser Nathalie Drouin and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison members of the national security committee of the Canadian Parliament admitted to leaking crucial information — alleging Shah's role in targeting Khalistani separatists in Canada to — Washington Post.

Meanwhile, the Indian government dismissed Canada's allegations against Home Minister Amit Shah regarding targeting Sikh separatists as weak and baseless.

Ex-High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for damaging bilateral relations without concrete evidence, relying only on hearsay and intelligence.

Diplomatic relations between India and Canada strained following the murder of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 last year. The 45-year-old Sikh separatist and a Canadian citizen was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a large Sikh population.