India has lodged protest in strongest terms on "absurd and baseless" references made by Canadian minister about our Home Minister, said MEA.
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on November 2 said that a representative of the Canadian High Commission had been summoned on Friday.
Jaiswal said, "Regarding the latest Canadian target, we summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission yesterday... It was conveyed in the note that the Government of India protests in the strongest terms to the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison. In fact, the revelation that high Canadian officials deliberately leak unfounded insinuations to the international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view that the government of India has long held about the current Canadian government's political agenda and behavioural pattern. Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties."
Canada on October 29 alleged that Union home minister Amit Shah was the main man responsible for the plots to target Sikh separatists on Canadian soil.
The Washington Post newspaper first reported that Canadian officials alleged Shah was behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists in Canada.
Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison said to a parliamentary panel on Tuesday that he told the US-based newspaper that Shah was behind the plots.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said a year ago that Canada had credible evidence agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
Dismissing the allegations as absurd, Indian government officials have consistently denied that Canada provided evidence.
India also accused Canada of indulging in "harassment and intimidation" of Indian consular staff there by putting them under audio and video surveillance in "flagrant violation" of diplomatic conventions.
Responding to a query during a media briefing here, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said India has "formally protested" to the Canadian government.
He was asked about reports claiming that many Indian diplomats in Canada were allegedly under surveillance amid the diplomatic standoff.
"Yes, some of our consular officials were recently informed by the Canadian government that they have been and continued to be under audio and video surveillance. Their communications have also been intercepted. We have formally protested to the Canadian government, as we deem these actions to be in flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions" Jaiswal told reporters.
"By citing technicalities, the Canadian government cannot justify the fact that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation," he alleged.
(With PTI inputs)
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