India has dismissed claims regarding Home Minister Amit Shah’s alleged involvement in targeting Sikh separatists in Canada as “weak” and “flimsy,” according to two Indian government sources on Wednesday. The allegations are not expected to create any significant issues for Shah or New Delhi.
The Canadian government had reportedly informed India about Shah’s alleged role in October of last year, one source told Reuters.
On Tuesday, Canada alleged that Shah, a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was involved in plots to target Sikh separatists residing in Canada. While the Indian government has not yet issued an official response, it has consistently rejected similar accusations from Canada, labeling them as baseless.
According to a report by The Washington Post, Canadian officials accused Shah of orchestrating a campaign of violence and intimidation against Sikh separatists in Canada. Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison, speaking before a parliamentary panel, confirmed that he had informed the US-based newspaper about Shah’s alleged involvement.
“The journalist asked if it was Shah, and I confirmed it,” Morrison told the committee, but offered no further details or evidence. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa and India’s foreign ministry have yet to comment on the matter.
India’s home ministry has referred all inquiries to the foreign ministry.
Canada reportedly informed India of Shah’s alleged role in the plots around October 2023, according to an Indian government source.
However, Indian officials consider the information to be unsubstantial and do not expect it to pose any challenges to either Shah or the government.
Both Indian sources spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
India has historically labeled Sikh separatists as “terrorists” and threats to national security. Sikh separatists have long called for an independent homeland, Khalistan, to be established within India.
The demand for Khalistan led to a violent insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s, claiming tens of thousands of lives. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, further deepened the tensions.
Earlier in mid-October, Canada expelled Indian diplomats, alleging their involvement in the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India responded by expelling Canadian diplomats in a tit-for-tat move.
The allegations against India concerning its treatment of Sikh separatists on foreign soil are not new. The U.S. government has charged a former Indian intelligence officer, Vikash Yadav, for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Pannun holds dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship and is a vocal critic of India.
The FBI has warned India against any attempts to target U.S. residents. India announced in November 2023 that it would investigate the U.S. allegations, though it has made few public statements since then.
These allegations have strained India’s relations with Canada and the U.S., both key partners that view India as a strategic counterbalance to China.—(Reuters)