A dramatic escalation in tensions between India and Canada has brought a top confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, under international scrutiny, Bloomberg reports.
A senior Canadian government official accused Shah, India’s Home Affairs Minister, of authorizing a wave of alleged crimes against overseas dissidents, including extortion and homicides.
The allegations, which India has vehemently denied, are a significant development in a dispute that began last September when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada. India maintains that Trudeau’s government has not provided evidence to support its claims.
Shah, a close ally of Modi and considered a potential successor to the Prime Minister, has been a key figure in the BJP’s political ascent. He is known for his strong pro-Hindu nationalist stance and for his key role in implementing controversial policies, including the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy and the amendment of the citizenship law to grant citizenship only to non-Muslim migrants from neighboring countries.
The allegations against Shah, however, have been met with staunch defense from the BJP. “Pinpointing any home minister without proof is wrong,” said Fateh Singh Bajwa, a BJP leader in Punjab, where Sikhs are a majority. He further added that “All political party leaders should stand together and show Canada that India will not tolerate the disrespect.”
While the controversy has sparked international concern, analysts believe that it is unlikely to affect Shah’s popularity within India. Harsh Pant, an expert at the Observer Research Foundation, believes that the allegations, instead, might “burnish their credentials as strong nationalist politicians who care about Indian interest and who are willing to take on a very powerful country.”
