Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has launched a strong condemnation against his own national security officials, accusing them of leaking classified information to the media and misrepresenting facts regarding the alleged involvement of Indian leaders in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Trudeau's remarks have come in response to a recent media report that suggested a connection between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the plot to kill Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani terrorist. This report has only added fuel to the already tense relationship between Canada and India.
In a press conference held in Brampton, Ontario, Trudeau expressed his frustration, labelling the officials responsible for the leaks as “criminals.” He criticised the leaking of top-secret information to the media, pointing out that these leaks had led to misinformation and false claims.
“We have seen, unfortunately, that criminals leaking top-secret information to the media have consistently gotten those stories wrong,” Trudeau stated. He further emphasised that this issue had been addressed through a national inquiry into foreign interference, which identified the leaks as unreliable and criminal in nature.
The controversy erupted earlier this week when a Canadian media outlet cited an unnamed national security official who claimed that Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, were aware of the alleged plot to murder Nijjar.
The report also suggested that key figures in the Indian government, such as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, were involved in the operation, allegedly led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. However, the report did not provide any concrete evidence to support these accusations.
In response to the media report, the Canadian government swiftly rejected the allegations. Nathalie Drouin, an intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Trudeau, issued a statement asserting that the Government of Canada had not made any official claims linking Indian leaders to the criminal activities associated with Nijjar’s death. She emphasised that any suggestions to the contrary were speculative and inaccurate.
The Indian government also dismissed the allegations as baseless. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the claims "ludicrous," with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal describing them as part of a “smear campaign” that deserved to be "dismissed with contempt."
This latest spat comes on the heels of ongoing diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, which have been simmering ever since Trudeau accused Indian agents of being involved in the murder of Nijjar in June 2023. India has firmly rejected these accusations, labelling them as politically motivated and “absurd.”
The diplomatic rift between the two countries has only deepened in recent months. Last month, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported that Indian agents were involved in a range of criminal activities on Canadian soil, including murder, extortion, and intimidation.
In response to these allegations, both nations expelled senior diplomats in a retaliatory move, further straining bilateral relations.
The controversy surrounding Nijjar’s death and the subsequent claims about Indian involvement have highlighted the long-standing tension between Canada and India. Canada has been accused by India of providing a safe haven for individuals involved in terrorism and criminal activities aimed at undermining Indian interests.
On the other hand, Canada has voiced concerns over what it perceives as the growing influence of Indian agents in the country, leading to a complicated diplomatic situation that has yet to be resolved.
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