Canada factchecks own media, retracts claims after India's stinker

The Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has strongly rejected reports suggesting the involvement of senior Indian leaders in criminal activities within Canada, calling the claims "speculative and inaccurate."

In a statement issued Friday, following a firm denial from New Delhi, Nathalie G. Drouin, the National Security and Intelligence Advisor to Trudeau, clarified that Canadian authorities are "not aware" of any evidence supporting the allegations made by an unnamed Canadian media source.

The statement referred to an October 14 public warning by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which had linked agents of the Indian government to serious criminal acts on Canadian soil. However, the Canadian government has distanced itself from these claims, emphasizing that no proof has been presented implicating prominent Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, or National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

This came in response to a report by The Globe and Mail, which quoted anonymous Canadian officials alleging that Indian leaders were aware of the plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Vancouver last year.

India swiftly dismissed the report, calling it part of a "smear campaign." External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal criticized the claims, urging the public to disregard the "absurd" allegations, which he argued only serve to harm the already tense diplomatic ties between the two nations.

The relationship between India and Canada has deteriorated significantly since the killing of Nijjar, a key figure linked to the banned Khalistan Tiger Force. Prime Minister Trudeau had raised concerns, claiming to have "credible" intelligence suggesting Indian involvement in the incident.

India has vehemently rejected these accusations, accusing Trudeau of catering to Khalistani sympathizers as part of a domestic political strategy. The Indian government has labeled the allegations as politically motivated and unsubstantiated.

Tensions escalated last month when Canadian officials linked Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and other diplomats to the killing. Despite repeated requests for proof, Canada has yet to provide any credible evidence to support these claims, further straining relations between the two countries.