Sources in the Indian government have rejected claims by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who accused India of supporting criminal activities in Canada in a new statement on Monday amid a massive diplomatic row, the agency reported press release PTI.

The unnamed government officials also asserted that “claims by Canadian officials that Canada presented credible evidence to India in the case of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are simply false.”

“It is absurd that after engaging the Indian High Commissioner to Canada last year, the Canadian government is now choosing to target him,” PTI quoted the sources as saying.

The ANI news agency, citing unnamed sources, reported that Canada’s approach, from the beginning, has been to make “vague accusations” and place the burden of denial on India.

The sources added that Justin Trudeau, during the press conference, was saying “the same old things for the same old reasons.”

Addressing the press conference on Monday, Justin Trudeau on Monday accused Indian government agents of engaging in “clandestine information gathering techniques, coercive behavior targeting Canadians and being involved in acts of threatening and violent.”

Sources said: “The central assertion of all Canadian officials is that credible evidence has been presented to India. This was also repeated by their Cd’A to the press. This is simply not true. From the beginning, the Canadian approach has been to make vague accusations and place the burden of denial on India. »

“During the RCMP press briefing, claims were made regarding some individuals’ ties to India. In no case were details provided. It was also about empowering people. But it was never clarified who and for what,” one of the sources said.

Citing evidence from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian government officials were involved in activities that pose a threat to public safety.

“As the RCMP Commissioner stated earlier, they have clear and convincing evidence that agents of the Government of India have engaged and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety. “This includes clandestine information gathering techniques, coercive behavior targeting South Asian Canadians and involvement in a dozen acts of threats and violations, including murders, is unacceptable,” Trudeau said. during a speech at the press conference.

He further claimed that Canadian law enforcement had “made several attempts” to work with their Indian counterparts on these issues, but that they had “repeatedly refused.”

These diplomatic fallouts follow allegations from the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Mike Duheme, who claimed to have information on certain criminal activities carried out by agents of the Indian government.

“Over the past several years and more recently, law enforcement agencies in Canada have successfully investigated and charged a significant number of individuals for their direct involvement in homicides, extortion and other acts criminals of violence. “Imminent and credible death threats led law enforcement to fulfill a duty of warning to members of the South Asian community and specifically members of the pro-Khalistan movement,” Duheme said.

The RCMP further claimed that investigations revealed that Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada took advantage of their official positions to engage in clandestine activities, such as gathering information for the Indian government, either directly , or through their agents; and other individuals who acted voluntarily or under duress.

India on Monday expelled six Canadian diplomats hours after summoning Canada’s charge d’affaires, Stewart Wheeler, and telling him that the “baseless targeting” of the Indian high commissioner and other diplomats and officials at the Canada was totally unacceptable.