India-Canada Tensions Escalate: Allegations of India’s Involvement in Sikh Leader’s Assassination Rock Diplomatic Relations

Canada Accuses India of Role in Sikh Leader’s Murder

Canada has accused India of involvement in the killing of a Canadian Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canada was looking at “credible allegations potentially linking” the Indian state to Nijjar’s murder. Nijjar, a prominent Sikh separatist leader, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia in June. India has strongly denied the allegations and has expelled a Canadian diplomat in response to Canada‘s expulsion of an Indian diplomat over the case.

Background

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was shot dead in his vehicle by two masked gunmen in the car park of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, a city east of Vancouver. He was a vocal supporter of Khalistan, the movement for an independent Sikh homeland in the Punjab region of India. Sikhs make up about 2% of India‘s population and some groups have long called for a separate Sikh homeland.

In the 1970s, there was a Sikh separatist insurgency in India that resulted in thousands of deaths before it was quelled in the following decade. Since then, the movement has been mostly limited to countries with large Sikh populations such as Canada and the UK. Canada, which has the largest population of Sikhs outside of Punjab, is home to an estimated 1.4 to 1.8 million Canadians of Indian origin.

Canada‘s Allegations

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of violating Canada‘s sovereignty by being involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. He raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the recent G20 summit in Delhi. However, India‘s ministry of external affairs completely rejected Trudeau’s claims, describing them as “absurd” and politically motivated. India accused Canada of providing shelter to “Khalistani terrorists and extremists” who pose a threat to India‘s security.

Reactions in Canada

Following Trudeau’s comments, large posters and tributes to Hardeep Singh Nijjar were visible at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey. The community appreciated Prime Minister’s acknowledgment of foreign involvement in the murder. Sikh groups in Canada, including the World Sikh Organisation, welcomed Trudeau’s statement, stating that he confirmed what was already widely believed in the community.

Tensions and Diplomatic Relations

Prime Minister Trudeau’s remarks come after a tense meeting with Prime Minister Modi during the G20 summit in India. Modi accused Canada of not doing enough to quell the “anti-India activities of extremist elements” referring to the Sikh separatists. Canada recently suspended negotiations for a free trade agreement with India, giving few details on why. The tensions between Delhi and Ottawa highlight the increasing pressure from the Indian administration on governments of countries with significant Sikh populations, including Canada, Australia, and the UK.

International Concerns

The White House expressed concerns about Trudeau’s allegations, stating that it is critical for Canada‘s investigation to proceed and the perpetrators to be brought to justice. The international community will be closely watching the developments in this case as tensions continue between Canada and India.

Sources:

• india-news/who-was-hardeep-singh-nijjar-canada-accuses-india-of-role-in-killing-of-sikh-activist-hardeep-singh-nijjar-india-says-justin-trudeau-claims-absurd-2582266″ target=”_blank”>NDTV