Last updated on October 16th, 2023 at 11:18 pm
Canada and India clash over killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Canada and India are locked in a diplomatic standoff over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India of involvement in the assassination, while India has denied the allegations. The case has raised concerns about India’s increasing assertiveness abroad and its willingness to target its opponents even on foreign soil. It has also raised questions about Canada’s ability to protect its citizens from foreign interference.
Canada and India clash over killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Background Hardeep Singh Nijjar,
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh separatist leader who was killed, was a member of the Khalistan movement, which seeks to create an independent Sikh homeland in the Indian state of Punjab. Nijjar was a vocal critic of the Indian government and had been accused of supporting violence against Indian targets.
In June 2023, Nijjar was gunned down in his truck in Surrey, British Columbia. Canadian police quickly arrested two suspects, but they have not yet revealed a motive for the killing.
Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar (October 11, 1977 – June 18, 2023) was a Canadian Sikh separatist leader with ties to the Khalistan movement. He was wanted by Indian authorities and designated a terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, accused of plotting the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab. He was shot and killed by two unidentified men in British Columbia on June 18, 2023.
On September 18, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that intelligence gathered by the Canadian government indicated that Indian government operatives had assassinated Nijjar. Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly expelled a diplomat whom she described as the head of India’s intelligence agency in Canada. India’s foreign ministry rejected the claim, calling it “absurd” and politically motivated, and an attempt to divert attention away from Canada’s “harboring of Khalistani terrorists and radicals.”
Nijjar was originally from a village in Jalandhar district, Punjab, and had been living in Canada for several years. He was alleged to be the leader of the pro-Khalistan group Khalistan Tiger Force and was a leader of the Canadian branch of Sikhs for Justice. He also served as the president of a Sikh gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. According to Marc Miller, the Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, he became a Canadian citizen on March 3, 2015.
By 2018, the Indian government had accused Nijjar of multiple targeted killings in India. Nijjar claimed that the Indian authorities were falsely implicating him in criminal cases. In February, Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, gave Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a list of most wanted persons that included Nijjar’s name. On April 13, the Surrey unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) briefly detained Nijjar for questioning and released him within 24 hours without laying any charges.
In July 2020, India designated Hardeep Singh Nijjar a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and, in September 2020, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seized his assets in the country. The NIA has accused him of plotting the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab. In 2022, the NIA offered a reward of INR 10 lakhs (approximately USD$16,200) for any information that could lead to his arrest. According to the NIA, their investigations revealed that the plot to kill the Hindu priest was hatched to disrupt peace and disturb communal harmony.
Canada’s accusations
In July 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in Nijjar’s assassination. Trudeau said that “agents of the government of India” had carried out the killing. He provided no evidence to support his claim, but he said that the Canadian government had “proof” of India’s involvement.
India’s denial
India has denied the allegations against it, calling them “absurd” and “politically motivated.” Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said that Canada’s accusations were “based on speculation and conjecture.” He also said that Canada had not provided any evidence to support its claims.
Diplomatic fallout
The case has led to a significant deterioration in relations between Canada and India. Canada has expelled a top Indian diplomat in response to the allegations against India. India has also taken retaliatory measures, including suspending a military training program with Canada.
Implications
The case of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has raised serious concerns about India’s actions abroad and its commitment to democracy and human rights. It has also raised questions about Canada’s ability to protect its citizens from foreign interference.
India’s involvement in targeted killings?
India has been accused of involvement in targeted killings, both domestically and internationally. In the 1980s and 1990s, Indian security forces were involved in a campaign against Sikh insurgents in Punjab. In recent years, India has also been accused of involvement in targeted killings of Baloch activists in Pakistan and Kashmir. However, it is important to note that India has denied all of these allegations time to time.
Canada’s Sikh diaspora
Canada has a large Sikh diaspora, with over 500,000 Sikhs living in the country. Many Sikhs in Canada are sympathetic to the Khalistan movement, and some have been accused of supporting violence against Indian targets.
Conclusion
The case of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has raised serious concerns about India’s actions abroad and its commitment to democracy and human rights. It has also raised questions about Canada’s ability to protect its citizens from foreign interference. The case is likely to have a significant impact on relations between Canada and India, and it could also have implications for other countries with large Sikh diaspora communities.