CHANDIGARH: Is the till-now-simmering India and Canada diplomatic row showing signs of a thaw?
A step was possibly taken in that direction with the Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government rubbishing reports linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and national security advisor Ajit Doval to criminal activities within Canada.
A statement from Nathalie G Drouin, the national security and intelligence advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister, on Friday was categorical in terming such reports as "speculative and inaccurate".
"On October 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the Government of India.
"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. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate," she stated.
The Canadian Government's statement comes after India strongly refuted a report in the Canadian media that attempted to connect the death of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Nijjar to PM Narendra Modi, S Jaishankar and Ajit Doval.
The ministry of external affairs had stated that such reports should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve and emphasised "smear campaigns" like these only "further damage our already strained ties".
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiwal said on November 20 that "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."
The killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year has led to escalating tensions between the two countries with Trudeau alleging that the Indian officials were involved.
The Canadian PM went on to claim his authorities had "credible allegations" of India's hand in the killing of the Nijjar. New Delhi dismissed the claims as "absurd".