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Top India minister authorised plots to target Sikh separatists in Canada, official alleges

Canada’s deputy foreign minister told a US-based newspaper that India’s Amit Shah was behind alleged campaign on Canadian soil

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India’s Home Minister Amit Shah. Photo: AFP

Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah authorised a wave of violence across Canada that included extortion and homicides, a senior Canadian government official said.

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David Morrison, Canada’s deputy foreign minister, told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday that he had confirmed the identity of Shah in a newspaper report earlier this month.

The Washington Post reported that Canadian security agencies had collected evidence that “a senior official in India” had “authorised the intelligence-gathering missions and attacks on Sikh separatists” in Canada. The story went on to say that a Canadian source identified Shah as being the Indian official in question.

“The journalist called me and asked me if it was that person,” Morrison said. “I confirmed it was that person.”

Tensions have soared since Canada accused the Indian government of involvement in last year’s killing outside a Sikh temple of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Photo: Reuters
Tensions have soared since Canada accused the Indian government of involvement in last year’s killing outside a Sikh temple of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Photo: Reuters

India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday didn’t immediately respond to the allegations against Shah. It’s previously dismissed Canada’s accusations that India’s government was involved in the alleged attacks against Sikh activists, calling them “baseless”.

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