India vehemently refutes a media report published by "The Intercept," dismissing it as "fake" and "completely fabricated." The report alleges the issuance of a "secret memo" by New Delhi in April, outlining "concrete" measures against Sikh separatists, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), categorically stated on Sunday that the report is part of a "sustained disinformation campaign" against India. Bagchi criticized the outlet for propagating "fake narratives" endorsed by Pakistani intelligence.
"We strongly assert that such reports are fake and completely fabricated. There is no such memo," Bagchi affirmed. He highlighted the outlet's reputation for disseminating misinformation with ties to Pakistani intelligence, cautioning that those amplifying such news compromise their own credibility.
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The MEA's response comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in September, alleged the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Nijjar on Canadian soil in June. India swiftly dismissed these charges as "absurd."
"The Intercept's" report claims that the Indian government issued instructions for a "crackdown scheme" against certain Sikh entities in western countries. The purported secret memorandum from the MEA in April is said to list "Sikh dissidents under investigation by India's intelligence agencies, including the Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar."
