• Justin Trudeau says there are “credible allegations” that link India’s government to the killing of Canadian Sikh Leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar
• Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a staunch supporter of the Khalistan movement which advocates for an independent homeland for Sikhs.
Canada has taken the step of expelling a senior Indian diplomat amid ongoing investigations into what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has labelled as credible allegations suggesting possible connections between the Indiangovernment and the assassination of a Sikh activist within Canadian territory. India has flatly rejected these accusations, deeming them to be “absurd.”
During a parliamentary session on Monday, Trudeau disclosed that Canadian intelligence agencies have been actively investigating these allegations. This scrutiny comes in the wake of the fatal shooting incident on June 18, which claimed the life of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent advocate for an independent Sikh homeland, commonly referred to as Khalistan. The incident occurred outside a Sikh cultural centre in Surrey, British Columbia.
Trudeau informed Parliament that during the recent Group of 20 summit held in New Delhi, he raised the issue of the assassination with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trudeau emphasized that he conveyed the message that any potential involvement of the Indian government would be deemed unacceptable and requested cooperation in the ongoing investigation.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said, “if proven true this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other,” and informed parliament that the head of Indian intelligence in Canada had been expelled consequently.
The expulsion occurs at a time when Canada and India find themselves in a strained relationship. Trade negotiations have hit roadblocks, and Canada has recently called off a trade delegation to India that had been scheduled for the upcoming autumn.
Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Nijjar had actively advocated for the establishment of a sovereign Sikh nation, commonly referred to as Khalistan, to be formed within the Indian state of Punjab. He had been sought after by Indian authorities who had officially labelledhim as a “terrorist” in July 2020.
In India, the Khalistan movement has been prohibited, with authorities perceiving it and its affiliated organizations as a significant national security concern. Nevertheless, this movement continues to find backing in Northern India and extends its influence to other nations such as Canada and the United Kingdom, both of which host substantial Sikh diasporas.
Canada is home to a Sikh community exceeding 770,000 individuals, constituting approximately 2% of its overall population.
At the time of his death, Nijjar was coordinating an informal referendum within India with the aim of establishing an autonomous Sikh state. Last year, Indian authorities had declared a monetary reward for any information that could lead to Nijjar’s arrest, citing allegations of his involvement in a purported attack on a Hindu priest in India.
His funeral drew thousands of attendees at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Surrey, the very place where he was murdered.
In his last message to the community mere hours before his passing, he implored people to persist in their backing of the Khalistan movement and discussed purported threats to his life, which he claimed were originating from the Indian government.
