India slams Canadian report claiming PM Modi was aware of Nijjar murder plot

Amid rising tensions between India and Canada, a Canadian newspaper's article has sparked controversy. The piece in 'The Globe and Mail' suggests that India played a role in the murder Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, thereby escalating fears of conflict. It alleges that high-ranking Indian officials, including the National Security Advisor and the Ministry of External Affairs, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were involved in a plot against Nijjar.

The Indian government has voiced its strong disapproval of these claims. The spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs, Randeep Jaiswal, refuted the allegations, stating, "We generally refrain from commenting on media reports. However, we strongly condemn these ludicrous reports targeted at the Canadian government. This kind of misinformation further deteriorates the already strained relationship between the two countries." This reaction underscores the deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Canada, further complicated by this controversial publication.

Relations had already been under strain following accusations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last year. He suggested that agents of the Indian government were implicated in Nijjar's murder. The scenario worsened when India's High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, was named as a suspect in the case. In a significant diplomatic move, India then recalled its diplomats, including Verma, and expelled six Canadian diplomats, among them the acting High Commissioner in Delhi.

This sequence of events has significantly impacted the diplomatic ties between the two nations, highlighting the sensitivity and complexity of international relations. The publication of the article in 'The Globe and Mail,' which directly implicates Indian leadership in adversarial actions, has only added fuel to the fire of an already tense situation. As both countries navigate this diplomatic quagmire, the international community watches closely.

The emergence of such allegations and the consequent reactions underscore the fragile nature of international diplomacy and the potential for media reports to influence bilateral relationships. It is a stark reminder of the need for cautious and responsible journalism, especially when dealing with issues of national security and international relations.