India Rejects Canadian Media Report on Hardeep Nijjar’s Killing: Calls it a ‘Smear Campaign

India Rejects Canadian Media: India has refuted reports in Canadian media regarding the killing of India-designated Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the alleged plot of assassinate Nijjar,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

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The MEA on Wednesday further emphasised that “smear campaigns” like this only “further damage our already strained ties” and said such reports should be dismissed with the “contempt they deserve”.

“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,”

This comes after a report in the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail tried to link NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Nijjar’s death to the Indian government.

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Notably India’s ties with Canada have seen a big dip as India has repeatedly expressed its deep concern about extremism and violence and anti-India activities in Canada and has asked Canadian authorities to take action against these activities.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he has “credible information” that India was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year.

India has denied all this saying it’s “absurd” and “motivated” and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country.

The report said Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar were also aware of the plan to kill Nijjar.

Earlier this month India had recalled 6 diplomats from Canada after they were declared “persons of interest” by the Canadian government in the investigation into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar was killed outside the Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year.

India-Canada ties took a big hit last month when Canada linked Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and some other diplomats to the murder.

India has rejected all the Ottawa allegations concerning the case and subsequently recalled the High Commissioner. The Canadian government had said the Indian diplomats were expelled from the country.

New Delhi expelled Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats following Canada’s allegations.

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