US responds to Canada’s accusations against India: ‘Concerned’ | Latest news India

The United States on Wednesday said Canada’s allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah of a plot against Khalistani separatists in Canada are “concerning”. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said it would continue to consult Ottawa on the matter.

“The government’s accusations of Canada are concerning, and we will continue to engage with the Canadian government on these allegations,” Matthew Miller told reporters during his daily news briefing.

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

The Washington Post reported that Canadian security services had gathered evidence that “a senior official in India” had “authorized the intelligence gathering missions and attacks on Sikh separatists” in Canada. The report further said that a Canadian source identified Shah as the Indian official in question.

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

The Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the allegations against Amit Shah on Wednesday. The MEA has previously rejected Canada’s allegations that the Indian government was involved in the alleged attacks on Sikh activists, calling them “baseless.”

David Morrison appeared at the committee two weeks ago along with other Canadian police and government officials on the escalation of a diplomatic dispute between India and Canada.

Meanwhile, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme acknowledged this that there is a distinct possibility that Canadian criminals are directing operators in India.

Mike Duheme also appeared before the parliamentary committee.

“You said here a few minutes ago that it is reasonable to assume, and it does happen, that India also experiences violent extremism in a different way than we do here. You indicated that this is a reality. Is it the case that potential criminals from Canada are giving directions to operators in India, just as the reverse is said for Canada? Canadian MP Glenn Motz asked Mike Duheme.

To that, the RCMP commissioner responded: “I mean after I came out on October 14th. Everything possible. We cannot ignore that, but that is the importance of working with our counterpart in India, so that we can work together and address the people involved,” Mike Duheme.

India has called Sikh separatists or Khalistanis ‘terrorists’ and threats to its security.

On October 13, Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma was declared a “person of interest” by Canada in its investigation into the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen declared a Khalistani terrorist by India.

Before Canada could take further action, New Delhi recalled Verma and five other diplomats, who also had the same name.

In response, India also expelled six Canadian diplomats. The diplomatic row escalated further, with Ottawa hinting at possible sanctions against India, which has played down accusations, including those made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.