Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison has confirmed a report that Canada is accusing a cabinet minister and close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of directing intelligence-gathering operations on Canadians.
As per media reports, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was accused by Canadian officials of orchestrating a campaign of violence and intimidation against Sikh separatists living there.
Morrison claimed to have verified Shah’s name to a particular news outlet on Tuesday when he addressed MPs of the national security committee.
“The journalist called me and asked if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person,” Morrison said.
A year ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared that Canada has strong evidence that Indian government agents were responsible for the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
The Indian High Commissioner and five other diplomats were expelled by Canada on October 14 on the grounds that they were persons of interest in many acts of violence, intimidation, and coercion aimed at suppressing the campaign for Khalistan (an independent Sikh state).
Bishnoi’s Involvement in Killings
Trudeau’s National Security Advisor, Nathalie Drouin, said to the committee that Canada has proof the Indian government initially obtained information on Canadian citizens and Indian nationals in Canada via proxies and diplomatic channels.
She said that the government in New Delhi, which is allegedly connected to a criminal network that includes Lawrence Bishnoi, was notified of the information.
Although Bishnoi is currently lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Central Jail in India, Drouin said that his extensive criminal network has been connected to violent crimes in Canada, which include homicides, assassination plots, and coercion.
Drouin stated that an attempt was made to cooperate with the Indian government to guarantee accountability prior to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) making public accusations that Indian diplomats were persons of interest in criminal investigations.
Two days ago, Drouin claimed, she had met with Ajit Doval, Modi’s National Security Advisor, in Singapore. When it became clear that the Indian government would not work with Canada on proposed accountability measures, Drouin said, the decision was made to go public.
This included asking that India provide the high commissioner in Ottawa and additional persons of interest diplomatic immunity. “This was not considered likely,” Drouin said.
According to the RCMP, public safety concerns prompted it to take the unprecedented move of disclosing ongoing investigations in public.
In retaliation, the Indian government has expelled six Canadian diplomats and disputes the accusations.
Iqwinder Gaheer, a Liberal MP, compared the scenario to something like a Bollywood film and said the information presented before the committee on Tuesday confirms “whispers” that have been present in the Sikh community for years.
At the committee, Drouin and Morrison were called as witnesses along with associate deputy public safety minister Tricia Geddes, CSIS director Daniel Rogers, and RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme.
Both Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly are anticipated to be present at future meetings as the investigation continues.
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