The India-Canada diplomatic crisis has taken a new twist. Canadian intelligence adviser Nathalie Drouin took responsibility for the leak of sensitive information to the Washington about Indian government’s alleged role in violent crimes in Canada.
On Tuesday, she told the House of Commons public safety committee that she did not require Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s authorization for the leak. However, Drouin insisted that no classified intelligence was leaked or provided to the American daily newspaper.
This revelation comes after the RCMP on October 14 said Indian diplomats and consular officials were alleged to be involved in extortion, coercion, and violent crimes that targeted Canadian citizens.
Drouin said they had held a meeting with Indian Security Adviser Ajit Doval in Singapore. But Doval refused to acknowledge any links and denied everything. She told the committee that they decided to make the information public when the Indian government failed to cooperate with Canada for accountability measures, thus the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic crisis.
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Canada Has Evidence About India Government
The intelligence adviser informed the committee that Canada has evidence that the Indian government gathered information on Indian nationals in Canada through diplomatic channels and proxies. About the information leak, Drouin said it was part of a communications strategy to highlight Canada’s continuing foreign interference dispute with India.
David Morrison, Canada’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Minister, told the committee that a Washington Post journalist called and asked him if India’s Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah had a role in the murders and extortion in Canada and the India-Canada diplomatic crisis.
Moreover, Drouin said India used an administrative technicality to block a meeting with the RCMP – it wanted to present evidence by traveling to New Delhi on October 8. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police officials travelled to Washington on October 10, but an Indian officer said they never showed up for the meeting.
