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The United States played a key role in triggering Canada's allegation that the Indian government was behind the killing of a Sikh extremist, according to unnamed western allied officials who have revealed Washington's hand in the episode that threatens to derail American engagement with India.

In the aftermath of the killing of Khalistani militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar, US intelligence agencies offered their Canadian counterparts "context that helped Canada conclude that India had been involved," the New York Times reported on Sunday. Yet what appears to be the “smoking gun,” the purported intercepted communications of Indian diplomats in Canada indicating involvement in the plot, was gathered by Canadian officials, the unnamed officials told the paper.

Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali on Sunday hit back at BJP leader Nishikant Dubey for suggesting that he made unsavoury remarks to instigate BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri, who had passed offensive remarks against Ali during the debate in the Lok Sabha, and said a narrative was being set for "lynching" him outside the House.

In a letter written to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, Dubey accused Ali of offering a "running commentary" and making “unsavoury remarks” during Bidhuri's speech in the lower house of parliament on Thursday, instigating him to lose his composure.

Anglophone solidarity is coming up against "strategic" ties with India in the Canada spat. The Biden White House on Thursday firmly threw its weight behind Ottawa's allegation about India's hand in the assassination of a separatist Sikh militant in Canada, saying it took the accusation seriously, and "there is not some special exemption you get for actions like this."

"It is a matter of concern for us. It is something we take seriously... Regardless of the country, we will stand up and defend our basic principles. And we will also consult closely with allies like Canada as they pursue their law enforcement and diplomatic process," US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in response to a question about whether the incident could "drive a wedge" between the United States and India given their burgeoning ties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday showered praise on the 3,000 ground-level functionaries who were on duty during the recently concluded G20 Summit, and thanked them for their efforts in making the event a huge success, urging them to document their experience and upload it on a website to be set up by the Centre soon.

"You (the functionaries) are the ones who worked day and night to make the G20 Summit a success and made the whole country proud, and some are unknown to many. If any Olympian wins a medal for the country and makes us proud, they are hailed for years. But many won’t know how many ground-level functionaries of the G20 Summit worked for the event and under what conditions. But you too made the country proud,” the Prime Minister said during an interaction at Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan.

After four long years, the chairman of the Hurriyat conference and Kashmir’s Head priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was set free from house arrest. Mirwaiz was allowed to attend the congregational Friday prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid. It was quite an emotional moment for the people as well as Mirwaiz himself when he reached the pulpit of the mosque. He burst into tears while he stood in front of the people.