- विज्ञापन -
Representatives from a Gurdwara in British Columbia, whose president was shot dead in 2023, have stated that their communities will remain unsafe until the Indian consulates in Vancouver and Toronto are closed, as reported by CBC News. This demand follows the recent expulsion of six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, by the Canadian government, which has accused them of involvement in serious crimes tied to the Khalistan independence movement.
Earlier, Canada asserted it had credible intelligence indicating the Indian government’s role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani figure shot outside the Surrey Gurdwara in June 2023.
Nijjar was a leader at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, where community representatives held a press conference. Gurkeerat Singh, a spokesperson for the gurdwara, expressed concerns for the safety of Sikhs unless the Indian diplomatic missions are shut down.
Jatinder Singh Grewal, a member of Sikhs for Justice, noted a previous expulsion of an Indian diplomat in September, after which the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported a rise in threats against Sikhs in Canada.
In a recent announcement, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, in response to serious accusations. The RCMP revealed they sought to interview these diplomats about alleged violent activities associated with the Indian government. In retaliation, India expelled six Canadian diplomats, asserting that Canada’s targeting of Indian officials was unjustified.
Grewal pointed out that those who enacted the violence were just “tools,” emphasizing that the real concern lies with those who collected information on Sikhs in Canada and relayed it to criminals. He claimed that the RCMP indicated Indian diplomats were monitoring pro-Khalistani Sikhs in Canada, feeding this intelligence back to India.
On Monday, RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme stated that investigations had shown Indian diplomats in Canada may have used their positions for covert activities, including intelligence gathering. The RCMP is investigating three homicides possibly connected to India, although it did not specify if Nijjar’s case was among them.
Grewal argued that closing the Indian consulates would eliminate the protective cover these officials have while working there, stressing that such ongoing actions threaten both Canadian safety and sovereignty. Meanwhile, India categorically denied Canada’s claims regarding their diplomats being involved in investigations, labeling the allegations as absurd and politically motivated amid what they call vote bank politics by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs asserted that Canada has not substantiated its allegations with any credible evidence, despite repeated requests.
