Canada Ousts High-Ranking Indian Diplomat Amid Probe into Assassination of Sikh Activist

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Canada took the step of removing a senior Indian diplomat from its territory on Monday, as it delves into substantial allegations suggesting possible involvement of the Indian government in the murder of a Sikh activist in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed the Canadian Parliament that intelligence agencies in the country have been actively investigating these allegations ever since Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an ardent advocate for an autonomous Sikh state known as Khalistan, was fatally shot on June 18 near a Sikh cultural facility in Surrey, British Columbia.

During last week’s G-20 summit, Trudeau broached the subject of the assassination with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trudeau stressed that any Indian governmental involvement in the murder would be intolerable and urged Modi to collaborate in the ongoing investigation.

Mélanie Joly, the Canadian Foreign Minister, confirmed the expulsion of India’s chief intelligence officer in Canada as a resultant action. “If these allegations are substantiated, it would be a severe infringement of our national sovereignty and a blatant violation of the fundamental norms that govern international relations,” stated Joly.

Communication attempts with the Indian Embassy in Ottawa by The Big Big News went unanswered.

The expulsion comes amid strained relations between Canada and India. Negotiations on trade have reached an impasse, and Canada recently called off a scheduled trade mission to India set for this autumn.

At the G-20 gathering, Modi articulated “serious apprehensions” regarding Canada’s approach toward the Punjabi independence movement within the diaspora, as revealed in a statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The statement characterized the Sikh movement as advocating separatism and fomenting aggression against Indian diplomatic officials, and called for Canada to cooperate with India to counter what New Delhi perceives as a menace to the Canadian Indian community.

Canada hosts a Sikh community numbering over 770,000, constituting roughly 2% of its entire population.

“For several weeks, our security agencies have been rigorously investigating credible allegations of potential ties between agents of the Indian government and the death of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” said Trudeau. He emphasized that any foreign government’s involvement in a killing occurring on Canadian soil would be an egregious breach of Canada’s sovereignty.

The Canadian administration has been actively coordinating with allied nations on this case, Trudeau further mentioned. “I persist in strongly urging the Indian government to collaborate fully with Canada to thoroughly investigate this issue,” he added.

Trudeau acknowledged that segments of the Indo-Canadian community are experiencing feelings of anger and fear, and called for composure.

Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, disclosed that Canada’s national security adviser and the head of its intelligence services have made trips to India to meet their counterparts and discuss the serious allegations directly. He described the situation as an ongoing homicide inquiry led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Foreign Minister Joly shared that Trudeau also discussed the issue with U.S. President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. She plans to raise the topic with her G7 counterparts on Monday evening in New York City, preceding the United Nations General Assembly.

Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre labeled the allegations, if proven, as “an unconscionable violation of our sovereignty.”

“Canadian citizens deserve protection within their own country. We urge the Indian government to demonstrate complete transparency as this murder investigation unfolds, because the truth needs to be revealed,” said Poilievre.

Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democrat Party and a Sikh himself, described the situation as outrageous and shocking. He disclosed that he grew up hearing that criticism of India’s human rights record could lead to visa issues. “To have the Canadian Prime Minister confirm a potential connection between a foreign government and the assassination of a Canadian citizen on domestic soil is beyond my imagination,” Singh remarked.

In India, the Khalistan movement is proscribed, with officials perceiving it and its affiliates as threats to national security. Nevertheless, the movement garners some support in northern India and other countries with significant Sikh populations like Canada and the United Kingdom.

Nijjar had been outspoken about an unofficial Khalistan plebiscite, advocating for a separate Sikh state. India’s National Investigation Agency, tasked with counterterrorism, had previously announced a reward of 1 million for information resulting in Nijjar’s capture or arrest.

The World Sikh Organization of Canada described Nijjar as a vocal proponent of Khalistan who “routinely led peaceful protests against ongoing human rights violations in India and in favor of Khalistan.” The statement added, “Nijjar had for months publicly stated that he felt his life was in jeopardy and that he was a target of Indian intelligence agencies.”

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More about Canada-India Diplomatic Tensions over Sikh Activist’s Assassination

• Canada-India Diplomatic Relations
• Overview of the Khalistan Movement
• G-20 Summit Highlights
• Canadian Intelligence Agencies
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs
• Canadian Trade Missions
• Canada’s Sikh Population Statistics
• National Security Adviser of Canada
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Public Safety in Canada
• United Nations General Assembly
• Canadian Opposition Parties