The big picture that is emerging from the India-Canada diplomatic tussle is worrisome. This incident brings out four dimensions. First, Canada is fast becoming a heaven not only for Khalistani militants but also for international criminal gangs. Second, the current administration is under the influence of these elements. Third, Pakistan, which is under the radar of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and International Monetary Fund (IMF), is supporting these elements in Canada to project that its soil is not used for anti-India activities. Fourth, these elements are trying to control the immigration system in Canada and this constitutes the main cause for their internecine gang warfare.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation holding an Indian diplomat responsible for the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force, only based on a ‘credible allegation’ is shocking. Intelligence reports are being manipulated to satisfy the Khalistani elements. The 2018 report mentioned threats arising from Sikh terrorists but later in 2019, these were removed obviously under pressure from Khaistani supporters. There are reports to suggest that the Canadian intelligence agency (CSIS) largely depends on the Khalistani informers. These are noticeable signs of the Trudeau administration’s support to the Khalistani elements, who are carrying out anti-India activities with impunity. Now, the Canadian foreign minister Melanie has said that this event has created an international crisis, obviously to project India in a bad light. Instead of acting against the Khalistani militants in Canada as was agreed in 2018, Trudeau is blaming India.
Nijjar was shot dead on the June 18, by two unidentified gunmen outside the Gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia. This followed attacks on the Indian diplomatic missions and the Indian diplomats were threatened. Neither the gunmen were traced nor any action taken against those involved in the attacks or threatening the Indian diplomats. There were reports that Nijjar was involved in the murder of Ripudaman Singh, another Khalistani militant. Nijjar had also planted Amritpal Singh in Punjab, who at his behest led protests in Punjab, in support of Nijjar’s agenda.
Canada has a history of sheltering Khalistani elements for vote bank politics. Justin Trudeau’s father Pierre Trudeau, who was the then PM of Canada had refused to hand over Talwinder Singh Parmar of Babbar Khalsa to India in 1982. Later in 1985, the Khalistani elements placed bombs in the Indian plane Kanishka that exploded in mid-air, killing 329 passengers. In 2018, Jaspal Atwal, who was charged with attempting the murder of the then Punjab Minster Malkiat Singh in 1986, was invited to the dinner hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner to India for Trudeau. As a damage control, the invitation to Atwal was later rescinded.
Former Chief Minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh, reacting to this issue, stated that making such an allegation without any evidence clearly establishes that Trudeau is playing vote bank politics. Amarinder Singh said that he as the CM had refused to meet the then Canadian Defence Minister, Harjit Singh Sajjan, during the latter’s visit as he had close links with the World Sikh Organisation, which is involved in anti-India activities. He had also provided a list of ten Khalistani militants, who were in Canada.
A well-known Canadian journalist Terry Milewski has also pointed out that Trudeau is driven by vote bank politics. According to him, Canada has substantial Khailstani elements, who are very well organised to pressurise the Canadian MPs by offering them votes if they help in glorifying terrorists or supporting their activities. Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party (NDP), which supports Khalistani elements, is sustaining Trudeau’s minority Government. If the NDP withdraws support, Trudeau would lose power to the conservative opposition. Crucially, Jagmeet Singh is a known Pakistani supporter. This explains why the Trudeau administration is supporting the Khalistani elements.
Another Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman stated that this action by Trudeau was an ‘insane behaviour.’ The opposition is also criticising his action and asking for credible evidence. Trudeau’s own party’s MP too has opposed this move.
While Trudeau and Melanie have stated that Nijjar was a Canadian citizen, it is not known how and when he obtained Canadian citizenship. A scrutiny of Nijjar’s profile indicates that he was involved in fraud to obtain citizenship of Canada. He had used a false identity to enter Canada in 1997 and claimed that he was tortured in India by the police. Interestingly, the medical report listed body parts wrong, clearly establishing that the document provided by him was a fabricated one. When this was detected and was denied entry, he ‘married’ a woman from British Columbia, who sponsored him to immigrate as her spouse. As the women had been sponsoring ‘husbands’ in the past as well, this was also not accepted. He appealed before a court against this decision but that was rejected. How he later became a Canadian citizen is an enigma. The possibility the Trudeau administration changed the decision to placate the NDP cannot be ruled out.
While Trudeau was in India attending the G20 Summit, the Khalistani elements had organised a referendum in Surrey Gurudwara. Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trudeau about India’s concern over the growing anti-India activities in Canada and the violence that was unleashed against the Indian missions. But instead of taking any action, the Trudeau administration turned a blind eye to the Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (of the Sikh for Justice) anti-India speech in which he threatened Hindus in Canada to leave the country and to balkanise India.
The presence of criminals and militants in Canada is causing internecine gang clashes causing threats to the entire Canadian society. With the complicity of the administration, these elements carry on anti-India activities without any restrictions. India’s four-level response is pragmatic: it has asked for credible evidence in this case; it has conveyed its full support in investigations; it has approached the Canadian allies with the facts; and it has asked Indians in Canada to take all precautions given the threats made by the Khalistani militants. It is hoped that the list provided by the NIA would spur the Trudeau Government to nab them. The incident has caused a temporary setback in India-Canada relations for which the entire responsibility lies on the Trudeau administration. The Trudeau administration needs to note that only a small number of Sikhs in Canada are supportive of the Khalistani activities. The threat to the Indian diaspora could also prove harmful to the economy of Canada. In its interest, Canada should immediately stop pampering the Khalistani militants and criminal gangs.
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