India denies the sharpest accusations that Home Minister Amit Shah was involved in a plot against Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was in exile in Canada.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar advocated for an autonomous Sikh nation in India. He was murdered in 2023 in Canada, and the relationship between the two countries has since been strained. Canadian investigators have said that several prominent Indians are involved in the investigation of the murder, which has led to both countries recalling their ambassadors and declaring diplomats persona non grata – unwanted.
Among those accused was the former Indian envoy in Ottawa. In the latest accusations, Indian government representatives are included, with Amit Shah being pointed out. He is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-hand man and also Home Minister.
India calls the latest suspicions "absurd and baseless".
India's government protests strongly, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, adding that the development has "serious consequences for bilateral contacts."
