Editor's Pick | Canada’s charges against Home Minister Amit Shah “absurd”: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday refuted Canada’s allegations about Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s alleged involvement, in a campaign targeting Sikh separatists, as “absurd and baseless”. Furthermore, Mr Jaiswal informed that the Chargé d’Affaires of the High Commission of Canada was summoned, and conveyed that the Ottawa’s charges would have “serious consequences” for bilateral relations – further describing them as “unfounded insinuation”. The exchange was precipitated by Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison’s comments on Oct 29. Briefing members of the Public Safety and National Security Committee of the Canadian Parliament, he acknowledged that he had confirmed to Washington Post about the Indian Union Home Minister’s (alleged) involvement in “a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence gathering targeting Sikh separatists inside Canada”, Washington Post reported on Oct 29. Furthermore, Nathalie Drouin, National Security Adviser (for Canada) had alleged the same day that the Indian government first gathered information of Indian nationals and Canadian citizens in Canada through “diplomatic channels and proxies”. Ms Drouin had further alleged that the information was passed to the government in New Delhi – which, she further alleged, works with networks associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party said that India’s alleged action “ripped open” the wounds of 1984 Sikh Genocide – this time on Canadian soil. Saturday’s developments emerge amidst already strained ties between the two countries. On Oct 14, India withdrew High Commissioner Sanjay Verma from Ottawa along with several other officials. This was after Canada had reached out to India describing them as “persons of interest” in the June 2023 killing of pro-Khalistani advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Underlining the reason for the withdrawal, New Delhi maintained that in an atmosphere of “extremism and violence”, the Trudeau government’s actions “endangered their safety”. The Hindu’s Profiles Naim Qassem: From spokesman to leader Georgian Dream: Clinging to power The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Who is the Opposition leader of Canada? What is the name of his political party? Pierre Poilievre, Conservative Party Terry Beech, Liberal Party Randy Boissonnault, Democratic Party Pierre James, Liberal Party To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 03 November 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 03 November 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Canada’s charges against Home Minister Amit Shah “absurd”: Ministry of External Affairs The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday refuted Canada’s allegations about Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s alleged involvement, in a campaign targeting Sikh separatists, as “absurd and baseless”. Furthermore, Mr Jaiswal informed that the Chargé d’Affaires of the High Commission of Canada was summoned, and conveyed that the Ottawa’s charges would have “serious consequences” for bilateral relations – further describing them as “unfounded insinuation”. The exchange was precipitated by Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison’s comments on Oct 29. Briefing members of the Public Safety and National Security Committee of the Canadian Parliament, he acknowledged that he had confirmed to Washington Post about the Indian Union Home Minister’s (alleged) involvement in “a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence gathering targeting Sikh separatists inside Canada”, Washington Post reported on Oct 29. Furthermore, Nathalie Drouin, National Security Adviser (for Canada) had alleged the same day that the Indian government first gathered information of Indian nationals and Canadian citizens in Canada through “diplomatic channels and proxies”. Ms Drouin had further alleged that the information was passed to the government in New Delhi – which, she further alleged, works with networks associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party said that India’s alleged action “ripped open” the wounds of 1984 Sikh Genocide – this time on Canadian soil. Saturday’s developments emerge amidst already strained ties between the two countries. On Oct 14, India withdrew High Commissioner Sanjay Verma from Ottawa along with several other officials. This was after Canada had reached out to India describing them as “persons of interest” in the June 2023 killing of pro-Khalistani advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Underlining the reason for the withdrawal, New Delhi maintained that in an atmosphere of “extremism and violence”, the Trudeau government’s actions “endangered their safety”.  The Hindu’s Profiles [Arrow][Naim Qassem: From spokesman to leader]( [Arrow][Georgian Dream: Clinging to power]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Who is the Opposition leader of Canada? What is the name of his political party? - Pierre Poilievre, Conservative Party - Terry Beech, Liberal Party - Randy Boissonnault, Democratic Party - Pierre James, Liberal Party To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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