Ikram Sh.

Basic Event

The bilateral relations between Canada and India are continuously deteriorating following the accusation of India’s involvement in the assassination of a Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar by the two unidentified masked shooters in the parking area of Gurdwara Guru Nanak in Surrey, Vancour in British Columbia, Canada. The assassin managed to escape in a car already waiting for them near the area. Canadian Royal Mounted Police (CRMP) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) have not yet been able to trace and apprehend culprits. Meanwhile in the diplomatic clamor and resentment in the Sikh community. Last year another Sikh Ripudaman Singh who had been acquitted by the court in the case related to bombing of Indian Airline flight in 1985 was shot dead by unidentified shooters on 14 July 2022 in Surrey. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally registered the same during his meeting with Narinder Modi on the G-20 conference at New Delhi.

Investigations

After three-month long investigations, the Canadian government expelled a senior Indian diplomate (Counsellor) Pawan Kumar Rai. He was an under-cover officer of the Indian intelligence RAW due to his alleged involvement of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. It is learned that he belonged to 1997 batch of Indian Police Service (IPS) Punjab cadre. The Indian government in furious response absurd the accusations by calling it as an attempt to distract the real issue that pertained harbouring of pro Khalistani extremist Sikh activists involved in number of criminal cases in India. Hardeep Singh Nijjar too was wanted in several cases being investigated by the National Security Agency (NIA) of India with cash reward of $.12000/- (10 lakh rupees) to was following tit-for-tat expelled a senior Canadian diplomat and asked for providing proof of the involvement.

Reaction of Sikh community in North America

i) The pro Khalistan Sikhs are reportedly expressing apprehension about the potential threats to their leaders including Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, President Sikhs for Justice organisation  with a famous in the backdrop of the killings of Paramjit Singh Panjwar in Lahore, Pakistan and Avatar Singh Khanda in UK who led a protest rally to the Indian High Commission in Landon on 23 March (alleged to be poisoned)  and Lately Sukhdool Singh  by the unidentified shooters on 20 September in Surrey, Canada.

ii) It is pertinent to mention that last year a Canadian Sikh citizen Ripudaman Singh Malik who was accused in the Indian Airline flight bombing case of 1985 had been acquitted by the Court was murdered on 14 July 2022. Later he praised PM Narender Modi and BJP about their contributions for the uplift of people in India. Indian security apparatus seems to have devised fabricated narrations to give a different colour for diverting the attention of people about the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar that the same might be a result of rivalries and internal disputes between the various Sikh factions.

iii). Indian newspaper “Wire” reported a story about so-called differences and litigation between the Hardeep Singh Najjar and Ripudanan Singh Malik over taking control of the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Surrey and printing script of the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib. According to Indian media outlet ” Mint” after taking place murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, FBI and police cautioned Preet Pal Singh, and Singh Dhami Presidents of Sikh Caucus Committee and Insaf NGO cautioned Sikh leadership in USA about the potential threat to them to be vigilant. The Mint dated 24 September  quoting Hindustan Times cited a charge sheet report by National Investigation Agency (NIA) about the transitions of  heavy amounts of extortion and smuggling through hawala/hundi routes by criminals including jailed gangster Lawrance Biswani from India to pro-Khalistan elements in Canada especially Satwinder Singh @ Goldi Brar and Satinder Singh @ Sam through smuggling/hundi for investment in matches, movies and even Canada Premier League.

US Reaction

 Meanwhile US ambassador in Canada David Cohen talking to the media confirmed that Canada’s stand about the involvement of the Indian diplomat was also based upon the information provided by ” 5 Eyes” alliance of intelligence sharing which comprised of five nations – USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. USA is also reportedly in contact with India urging to coordinate with Canada into the investigations of Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder case.

Division in the Indian Diaspora in North America, Europe, South Asia, and Australia

The said incident caused a deep rift between the Indian Diaspora comprised of Hindus and Sikhs. According to report around 800000 and 500000 Sikhs are respectively living in Canada and USA, the largest one out of India. In addition, they are large in number in European countries particular UK, Australia and even in Indonesia, Malysia, and Singapore. In Canada they are considered significant community for having influence in the domestic politics.

Khalistan Movement

I). Khalistani movement which actively started in 1980 in India followed by Operation Blue Star of the Indian Army on Golden Temple Amritsar on 6 June 1986 damaging not only to it badly including the holiest seat ” Harminder Sahib”, killings thousands of followers along with the fire brand most popular young Sikh spiritual figure Sant Jernail Singh Bhindranwala, General (ret) Shoebeg Singh and Sikh Student Federation President Baji Amrik Singh demanding more rights and identity for Sikhs in the East Punjab within the Indian Union. The Hindu dominated media started terming it the movement of Khalistan. The desecration of the Golden Temple and killing of considerable number of Sikh devotees severely injured the feelings with profound effects. Later, the incident led to the assassination of the then Indian Prime Minister Indra Ghandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards. In reaction, it caused general massacre of Sikhs in hundreds of numbers at the hands of Hindus in New Delhi at the hands of Hindus in New Delhi.

ii). Thereafter number of Sikh organisations by Sikh elders and youth came into being at home and abroad advocating the creation of Khalistan and youth started spring turning to militancy for struggling the same. The Indian security forces and police during their so called anti militancy drive killed thousands of Sikh youths in fake encounters with substantial number of arrests in fabricated cases under the clauses of terrorism. Indian political parties including Shromni Akali Dal opposed the Khalistan movement but despite the United stand the emerging new Pro-Khalistan leadership under Simranjit Singh Mann (former DIG police) won the next Lok Sabha (Indian lower house of parliament) with overwhelming majority from East Punjab. The Indian government however, managed to not allow them for taking oath on technical grounds Sikh did not stand with the slogan of Khalistan. As a result, the movement in Indian Punjab, Haryana, UP and New Delhi reached at low profile.

iii). On the other hand, the pro-Khalistan Sikh organisation in Europe and North America continued their voicing in peaceful way within the respective laws and human rights framework. Lately another Sikh organisation by the name of ” Sikhs for Justice” emerged in Europe and North America led by GurPatwant Singh Pannu which began holding votes of Sikh community members in democratic norms in favour of Khalistan. Ironically out of old enmity the Indian government having been afraid of Pakistan’s diplomatic and moral support of the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people under the UNC resolution blamed Pakistan without any proof for supporting Sikh militancy despite knowing there is no existence of any such Sikh militant organisation on its territory.

Canadian police have not been able to arrest the murders of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, so far. It is apprehended that he might have fled to India.

The author is former Director Intelligence Bureau