By Vineet Dikshit

NewsGate Press Network

Alleged naming Home Minister Amit Shah by a Canadian minister in killing of Khalistani terrorist H S Nijjar has attracted ire of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and summoned its Acting High Commissioner in Delhi issuing a strong ‘diplomatic note’ of protest.

Randhir Jaiswal, the Official Spokesperson of MEA gave details of the demarche issued to the Canadian diplomat on Friday 01 November 2024 and indicated in more than one ways that he was in fact given a nice dressing down on the ‘undiplomatic conduct of Canadian minister’.

The allegations as “absurd and baseless”, Jaiswal informed media persons during his weekly presser on Saturday.

“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 the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison,” he said.

“In fact, the revelation that high Canadian officials deliberately leaked unfounded insinuations to the international media as part of a conscious strategy to discredit India and influence other nations only confirms the view that 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,” the MEA spokesperson said.

It may be recalled that news had already appeared in the media about David Morrison, while testifying on October 29 before Canadian MPs on the public safety and national security committee – when asked to comment that Canadian officials identified Home Minister Amit Shah as one of the senior officials who authorized intelligence-gathering missions and attacks on Sikh separatists in Canada.

On Canada describing India as a “cyber adversary” in its National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026, the MEA spokesperson said that it “appears to be another example of a Canadian strategy to attack India”.

“As I mentioned earlier, their senior officials have openly confessed that they are seeking to manipulate global opinion against India. As on other occasions, imputations are made without any evidence.”

On the sudden cancellation of Diwali celebrations by the opposition leader Pierre Poilievre that were scheduled to take place at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the spokesperson said:

“We have seen some reports in this regard. It is unfortunate that the prevailing atmosphere in Canada has reached high levels of intolerance and extremism.”

On reports that Canada is issuing fewer visas that was affecting Indian students, he said:

“We are obviously monitoring the well-being of students and temporary workers from India who are currently in Canada. Our concern for their safety and security remains strong.”