India Summons Canadian Official On Allegations Against Amit Shah, Conveys 'Strong Protests'

India has conveyed its protests in the strongest terms to the 'absurd and baseless references' made to the Union Home Minister before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday said it had summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission and a diplomatic note was handed to the official in reference to the recent proceedings of Canada's Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

The MEA statement comes after Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison on October 29 told Parliament members of the national security committee that Home Minister Amit Shah "ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence-gathering" targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. 

In the note to Canada, India has conveyed its protests in the strongest terms to the 'absurd and baseless' references made to the Union Home Minister before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison.

"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 Government of India has long held about current Canadian Government’s political agenda and behavioral pattern," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.

What Has Canada Alleged?

Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison told the Parliament members of the national security committee that he had confirmed Shah's name to The Washington Post, which first reported the allegations a day before India recalled its six diplomats, including the High Commissioner, from Canada.

In response to a question Morrison said he had “confirmed” Shah’s name to The Washington Post. "The journalist called me and asked if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person," Morrison said. However, he did not comment on how Canada knew of Shah's alleged involvement.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's national security adviser Nathalie Drouin told the committee that Canada has evidence the Indian government first gathered information on Indian nationals and Canadian citizens in Canada through diplomatic channels and proxies.

She alleged that this piece of information was then passed on to the government in New Delhi, which she alleged "works with a criminal network affiliated with Lawrence Bishnoi", the AP report said.