India has strongly rejected a Canadian media report that claimed that the Indian Prime Minister was aware of the alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Responding to media queries regarding the report in a Canadian newspaper, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Ministry of External Affairs do not normally comment on media reports. He said, however, such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian government source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. The Spokesperson said, smear campaigns like this only further damage the already strained ties.