The ongoing India-Canada diplomatic row following the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an erstwhile plumber, pro-Khalistani Sikh leader in British Columbia, Canada, and a designated terrorist by the Government of India for multiple terror and criminal activities, is a brilliant example how the short-sightedness, improvidence and myopic vision and action of an egoist political dispensation can spoil relationship of two democratic and secular nations sharing multiple similar attributes, and bilateral socio-political and economic interests. An Indian by birth and a naturalized Canadian citizen since 2007, Nijjar was shot dead on 18 June 2023 in his pickup truck by two masked gunmen in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. He was wanted in India by the State of Punjab and Central Government as an accused in several heinous crimes including murder, and multiple requests for his extradition were not acted upon by the Canada Government.
The Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau spoke in Parliament on 18 September 2023 that the Canadian security agencies were actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and Nijjar’s killing, calling upon the Indian government to cooperate with the investigation. This was a serious allegation later repeated by some other Canadian officials too, which was bound to have an obvious diplomatic fall out. While refuting allegation, an authorized spokesperson of the Indian External Affairs Ministry asked Canada to share evidence. As the diplomatic row escalated, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson even categorized Canada as a “safe haven for terrorists, for extremists, and for organized crime” for years that continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. As the spat escalated both sides expelled each-others’ diplomats citing allegations. The shadow of this acrimony was perceived even during G20 New Delhi Summit in September 2024.
According to PM Justin Trudeau, Canada had intelligence input from their Five Eyes allies about the alleged role of the Indian government agents in Nijjar killing. In this regard, it may be relevant to mention that the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are together known as Five Eyes, who arguably cooperate and work together sharing intelligence inputs among the member countries on various national and international issues. It is generally opined by the Western media sources that they collectively expressed their concern during the G20 Summit requesting India to cooperate in investigations although none of them formally chose to make any public statement or allegation in this regard. Of course, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on 22 September that the United States was deeply concerned about the allegations and was coordinating with the Canadian authorities as they continued to investigate Nijjar’s death.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Jatt Sikh born on 11 October 1977, was originally native of a village in Jalandhar district of Punjab, India. He had a family history of rendering refuge and support to Sikh militants and terrorists during the Punjab insurgency (late 1970s to mid-!990s), and at one point Nijjar himself claimed that he was inspired by AS Babbar (a militant and founding member) of Babbar Khalsa. Initially, he reached Canada in February 1997 on a fraudulent passport with a fake identity “Ravi Sharma” and sought a refugee status in a sworn affidavit that his father, brother, and uncle were all arrested, and that he himself had been tortured by police. His request was rejected as the officials found that he had forged documents and his statement about torture, etc., was not correct. Then he succeeded in marrying a woman who sponsored his immigration but the application was again rejected citing it a marriage of convenience due to several discrepancies. He continued his efforts and, reportedly with political approach, he was granted the Canadian citizenship in May 2007.
In Canada, Nijjar started living at Surrey, British Columbia, worked as plumber and had two sons from a marriage. He gradually assumed leadership of the local Sikh community and became president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, a Sikh temple in Surrey in 2018. In between, he continued with his anti-India activities as an active member and Canadian leader of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a banned organization in India, supporting the Khalistan Movement from abroad. Even weeks before his death, he was actively pursuing a controversial referendum among the Sikh diaspora for the creation of an Independent Sikh state breaching India’s sovereignty and integrity. As regards his obnoxious anti-national and criminal activities, Interpol had issued a red corner notice against him on the request of Indian authorities in 2016 for his role as a mastermind and key conspirator of terrorist acts in India and multiple targeted killings. The then Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh too had included him on a list of the “most wanted persons” handed over to the Canadian Prime minister Trudeau in February 2018. Accused of multiple criminal cases already filed in past, India formally designated Nijjar a terrorist invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2020 elaborating charges of sedition and insurrection against him. On his part, however, Nijjar maintained that the Indian government’s charges against him were fabricated, baseless, fictitious and politically motivated to discredit him.
According to reports, Nijjar had a serious dispute with another alleged Sikh separatist Ripudaman Singh Malik, also a Canadian national, who was earlier prosecuted but acquitted finally over his involvement in the bombing of the Air India Flight 182 on 23 June 1985 on Montreal-London-Delhi route citing lack of sufficient evidence. The plane had disintegrated along with 329 people due to explosion of the bomb in flight planted by the Canadian Sikh terrorists, which was also the deadliest aviation disaster in the Air India history. Malik had sued Nijjar alleging that the latter did not return the printing press that he had given to him for safekeeping. Later on, Malik was murdered in July 2022. Citing some Indian intelligence sources, certain news reports had then appeared that the rivalry between the two separatists could be the cause of Malik’s death. It has been over one year of investigation by the Canadian investigators without much breakthrough in Nijjar killing case. As a number of dreaded separatist and terrorist groups are operating from the Canadian soil, the possibility of an inter-gang rivalry in Nijjar case also cannot be ruled out.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested three men namely Karan Brar, Kamal Preet Singh and Karan Preet Singh, all in their twenties, in May 2024 in connection with Nijjar’s killing, accusing them of the conspiracy and murder. As per information revealed by the RCMP, all the three are Indian nationals who had been living in Edmonton, Canada for between three to five years. Reportedly, they have also been linked with a few other murders too and it is alleged that they were present in Canada on temporary visas when the said homicide took place, and that they are associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Allegations itself appear quite strange as Lawrence Bishnoi aka Balkaran Brar is imprisoned in Indian jails since 2014 facing multiple criminal charges, including those for extortion, murder and drug dealing. Currently, he is lodged in a high security prison in isolation making it well nigh impossible to have interaction with the external environment. Even in India, some high-profile murders and crimes have been linked by the media to his alleged syndicate. It appears both curious and ludicrous to link the agencies of Indian government with an alleged gangster, and even more ironic seems the fact that, in response to Canadian allegations, India requested Canada to extradite some such men linked with Lawrence gang in Canada in the past but the latter never took the request seriously.
It is quite strange and unfortunate that a person who himself initially entered in Canada on a fraudulent identity and has a controversial past with obnoxious activities in that country even after the grant of the Canadian citizenship, and is a designated terrorist and much sought after by the Government of India for sedition and other serious criminal imputations including murders in the country of his origin, has become a teething issue between the relations of two democratic and secular countries. When Canada escalated the diplomatic crisis in September 2023 expelling an Indian official, the Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar boldly observed that India has had an ongoing problem with Canada for years, due to the latter’s permissiveness in regard to terrorism, extremism and violence in the country, and consistence and continuous intimidation of Indian diplomats in Canada. In a strong reaction, Canada was then asked to take back 41 personnel from its overstaffed embassy in Delhi.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Ministry chose to further escalate diplomatic row by quoting six Indian diplomats including the Indian High Commissioner as “persons of interest” in Nijjar killing investigations in October 2024. Anticipating what was likely on cards, India promptly acted by recalling thus named Indian diplomats and, simultaneously, expelling the acting Canadian High Commissioner and five other diplomats, citing the Canadian claim as preposterous lacking credibility in the absence of any evidence. Of course, many Western media subsequently published that six Indian diplomats including the High Commissioner were expelled by Canada. Indo-Canadian developments have invited international reactions too. Canada’s Five Eyes allies are probably siding with Canada albeit they have so far avoided any adverse reaction on India. In South Asia, Bangladesh had earlier criticized Canada’s extradition policies citing the country as a hub for murderers while Sri Lanka too called it a safe haven for terrorists in the past describing Justin Trudeau as a leader, who makes outrageous allegations without any supporting proof. However, India’s sworn enemy Pakistan stated that India’s network of extra-terrestrial killings has gone global now. In this context, it would be relevant to mention an irrefutable position that Pakistan has sponsored terrorism in Kashmir and other parts of India for the last many decades and many wanted Islamic terrorists and criminals have been given refuge and protection in Pakistan for years.
Now PM Justin Trudeau himself has provided an anticlimax of his own theory “Indian agents behind killing of the Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar” on Wednesday, the 16 October 2024 while testifying before the Canada’s Foreign Interference Commission. He admitted on camera before the committee that he had only ‘intelligence’ and not “hard evidentiary proof” when he alleged the involvement of the Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. He said that he was briefed there was intelligence from Canada, and possibly from Five Eyes allies, that made it fairly clear, incredibly clear, that India was involved in this. In his testimony, he spoke a lot of conjectures and trivial things but hardly any substance. Among other things, he also referred to a number of South Asian Members of Parliament, with whom he interacted and who opined that it was something that was likely connected to the Government of India. Important point to see here is whether an “intelligence” is merely based on perceptions or human logic, or it actually carries some credible lead such as “intercepted text(s), audio(s) or visual(s) input” and/or witness(es) linking the alleged government agency/individual(s) with the crime executed or suspects thereto.
It’s obvious from what has been revealed so far by Justin Trudeau himself and the Canadian external affairs/security agents that not only they do not carry any evidentiary proof but also lack any credible intelligence input suffice to take up with the Indian Government. So, what do they really expect when they ask the Government of India to cooperate in the investigations? Rightly so, India has strongly rejected Canada’s attempt to link Indian agents with the criminal gangs operating in Canada. Justin Trudeau’s latest testimony before the Foreign Interference Commission has only vindicated the Indian stand so far consistently maintained for the last one year. It is not surprising and rightly so, the Indian spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs (Randhir Jaiswal) recently responded to the media queries concerning Justin Trudeau’s deposition, “What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along – Canada has presented us no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats.”
It needs no emphasis to conclude that an immense damage has already been caused due to the ongoing spat between India and Canada on the issue of the death of a designated terrorist who should have been appropriately expatriated by the latter, like a friendly democracy, to the former for the prosecution and trial for his alleged terror and criminal offences. The liability for this damage to India-Canada relations and continued diplomatic downturn squarely rests on the cavalier approach of the Canadian prime minister and his advisers. According to the current indications, Justin Trudeau is facing serious challenges in convincing the opposition parties and common Canadians about India’s alleged role in the pro-Khalistani terrorist Nijjar’s killing. His accusations are seen by many Canadians more as distraction from his government’s political and economic issues, internal party disputes, declining personal popularity, and economic challenges, which may have serious impact on upcoming elections. In fact, the main teething issue between the two countries remains that Canada has given ample space for years to the pro-Khalistan elements, including hardcore militants, who are constantly indulging in obnoxious activities from the Canadian soil with impunity.
In international politics and diplomacy, the countries mostly act and react to the developments keeping in view their own long term national interests and allies without much botheration or ado about the morality and ethics. But one may find individuals, or even institutions, universally, who are well-meaning, impartial and fair in their approach and action away from the petty considerations of race, region, religion, or nationality. In the current India-Canada diplomatic row, this author happened to see a report/opinion column of Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), who is known for his understanding of issues relating to the Middle East and South Asia. Recently, Rubin wrote in the Washington Examiner a comprehensive, balanced and well-meaning blog on 16 October 2024 on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s act of reigniting and escalating the diplomatic dispute with India. Citing many violent terror incidents involving Sikh militants and extremists, such as the Air India Flight 182 bombing killing 329 people on board, murder of ex-Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and recent attacks on San Francisco Indian Consulate and Hindu temples, he suggested that the Khalistan extremism may not currently be on America’s radar, but this position must change now.
According to Rubin, the evidence cited by Trudeau is unpersuasive and like “spinning a conspiracy theory” with the surmise that the government (India) and mafia act in conjunction, constituting a grave charge against the largest democracy without an iota of evidence. Also, citing US intelligence to back his claim is like attempting to use the CIA shield to avoid accountability for his own aggression when there is no indication that US intelligence provided Trudeau with “a smoking gun”. Drawing a parallel between US Vice President Kamla Harris and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Rubin says what Harris, as the Democratic Presidential nominee, is doing to American Jews and Israel to court Muslims in Michigan and Minnesota, Trudeau is embracing the Khalistan cause to try to save his political life in the ensuing national polls. In doing so, he not only abandons moral clarity but also miscalculates the extremists’ strength. Rubin recalls how Nijjar openly advocated violence and endorsed terrorism to achieve his aims, and then he goes to the extent of endorsing that Nijjar’s death, even if caused by India (there is no evidence), was no loss. Trudeau puts ego above the national interest. Rubin concluded that US must not sacrifice its India ties to help extricate Trudeau from a hole of his own digging. Therefore, Biden must cut Trudeau loose and embrace Modi not only for truth and justice but also for the 21st-century global security, and a grave and growing terrorism threat demands it.
Only during the last year 2 years, apart from intimidating the Hindu diaspora to leave the country, there have been umpteen incidents of violence and arson by khalistani militants and separatist Sikhs in various parts of Canada, that included attacks on Hindus, their temples and properties. In 2023, Indian embassies, high commissions and consulate were attacked at several places in Canada and other Western countries, the worst was in San Francisco where the Indian Consulate building was put on fire by a handful of khalistani agitators on 19 March 2023 although much damage was not caused perhaps due to building material or poor quality of flammable material used. Due to lackadaisical approach of the security agencies, they attacked the Consulate again on the following day, broke the barricades forcing entry inside the premises and indulged in sabotage hammering the doors and windows, breaking the glass panes, desecrating Tiranga (Indian National Flag) and hoisting a Khalistan flag on the consulate building. Be it Canada, the US or others, everyone need to acknowledge and honour the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other foreign countries as well, more specifically India in the present case.
Over the years, Canada has increasingly remained in news for anti-India activities mainly on account of the government allowing the pro-Khalistan agenda run by some influential Sikh politicians associated with the ruling party in the name of freedom of speech and expression. As leader of the ruling Liberal Party, Justin Trudeau has worked as the prime minister of Canada since 2015. As his Liberal Party is short of majority in the parliament, his government has survived all along with the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP) headed by Jagmeet Singh Dhaliwal alias Jimmy Dhaliwal, who is a proclaimed supporter of the separatist Sikhs in Canada seeking creation of an independent Sikh State carved out of the Indian territories. Either driven by his political compulsions or own ideology, Justin Trudeau has consistently not only been soft towards separatist Sikhs and khalistanis but also perceived of a tacit support to the Khalistan movement in Canada. Owing to controversies associate with him, the then Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh had refused to see him in 2017 calling him a Khalistan sympathizer. Later on, his controversial remarks on the politically motivated Farmers agitation in 2021 too invited widespread criticism as un warranted and unethical intervention in India’s internal affairs.
In an earlier paragraph, the analogy established by the Senior Fellow Rubin of the Washington Examiner between Kamla Harris’s wooing of Muslims and Justin Trudeau’s sympathy towards separatist Sikhs at the cost of other communities and nations only vindicates India’s principled stand. The double standards of some powerful Western democracies in regard to the separatist movements and terrorism in other countries is not a new phenomenon but the time and equations in the multipolar world are changing now; therefore, the countries like the US, UK and Canada also need to realize that the sovereignty and integrity of other nations is equally relevant and important. As a democratic and secular Asian country as also a fast emerging economic and military power on the world map, India will no longer accept or tolerate anti-national activities on a foreign soil posing threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The scale of bloodshed and outrage created by a handful of khalistani militants and extremists in India and outside in countries like the US, UK and Canada over the decades is neither a secret, nor something that should be ignored. Sooner these Western governments learn criticality of this need and resort to a genuine course correction, better it will be for their own future security and stability too.
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