‘Irresponsible actions’: MEA summons Canadian diplomat to lodge protest over allegations against Amit Shah

India on November 2 said that it summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission and lodged a strong protest over Ottawa’s allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

MEA Spokesperson Randhir 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.” 

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison told Parliament members of the national security committee that he had confirmed Amit Shah’s name to The Washington Post, which first reported the allegations. 

“The journalist called me and asked if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person,” Morrison told the committee. Morrison did not say how Canada knew of Shah’s alleged involvement. 

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, Jaiswal said. 

The MEA spokesperson also disclosed that the Canadian government have pout some of India's consular officials 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 a flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions. Our diplomatic and consular personnel are already functioning in an environment of extremism and violence," Jaiswal added.

India’s ties with Canada have suffered a setback since September last year, when Trudeau alleged the Indian government’s “potential” involvement in Nijjar’s killing. India had rejected the charges as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 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. 

Canadian authorities have repeatedly said they have shared evidence of that with Indian authorities. India have repeatedly denied Canada has provided evidence and have called the allegations absurd. 

(With inputs from agencies)