Amid rising tensions with India, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refuted claims that linked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to violence in Canada, describing them as unfounded and the result of erroneous reporting by Canadian intelligence leaks.
Information not only unreliable but also engaged in unlawful activities
“We have seen, unfortunately, that criminals leaking top-secret information to the media have consistently gotten those stories wrong,” Trudeau stated during a media address in Brampton on Friday. “That’s why we initiated a national inquiry into foreign interference, which has emphasized that criminals leaking information to media outlets are not only unreliable but are also engaged in unlawful activities,” he added.
Trudeau’s remarks followed a fact-check by the Canadian government on Thursday, which debunked reports suggesting a connection between Modi and Jaishankar to acts of violence on Canadian soil, according to multiple sources.
Trudeau calls out the fake Canadian report
Earlier this week, The Globe and Mail published a report claiming that Canadian security agencies suspected Prime Minister Modi of being aware of violent plots, allegedly involving Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. However, the report acknowledged that Canada lacked direct evidence to support the assertion that Modi had any prior knowledge of the alleged activities.
In response, the Canadian government clarified that the report was speculative and lacked credibility. “The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate,” the official statement read.
India-Canada diplomatic dispute under Trudeau
The controversy arises amidst a broader diplomatic rift between the two nations. Last month, Canada’s foreign ministry accused Indian Home Minister Amit Shah of orchestrating a campaign of intimidation within Canada. Ottawa also claimed to possess evidence connecting Indian government agents to the 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.
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