NEW DELHI, Nov 21 (The Hindu) – India has strongly dismissed a Canadian media report alleging that the Indian Prime Minister was aware of a plot to kill Sikh freedom fighter Hardeep Singh Nijjar, calling it a “smear campaign.”
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, referring to the report which cited an unnamed official, stated that such “ludicrous statements” should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve.
Nijjar was gunned down on Canadian soil last year.
India-Canada ties nosedived last month after Canada linked Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and some other diplomats to the murder.
India has strongly rejected all the allegations made by Ottawa in connection to 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.
