Sikh community no longer feels safe after claim India had role in B.C. killing: Singh

The Current19:17Jagmeet Singh says sense of safety ‘shocked’ by accusation India played role in Canadian Sikh leader’s death

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Accusations that India’s government had a role in the killing of a Canadian Sikh man have shocked the sense of safety among diaspora communities in Canada, says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

“That sense of security … was really shaken, not just for the Sikh community particularly, but for many communities who have been actively critical of the countries where they come from, the governments and the regimes that are oppressive,” he told The Current’s Matt Galloway. 

“It was really this visceral sense of we’re no longer safe in a place that we really believe that is safe.”

On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the government of India of involvement in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh community leader who was shot in Surrey, B.C., on June 18. 

WATCH | Trudeau links Indian government to fatal shooting in Canada:Trudeau says ‘credible allegations’ link India to killing of Sikh leader in CanadaPrime Minister Justin Trudeau says any foreign government involvement in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is ‘an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.’

Nijjar had been labelled a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020 over his support for the formation of Khalistan, an independent Sikh state that would be carved out of northern India. The government accused Nijjar of leading a militant separatist group, which his supporters have denied.

Responding to Monday’s accusations, officials for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government responded by calling the allegations “absurd” and “unsubstantiated,” and accused Canada of sheltering “Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who … continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” 

Both countries have since expelled diplomats from the other.

‘No way to have normal relations at this point,’ says Singh

Human Rights Watch reported in 2022 that, India’s government “continued its systematic discrimination and stigmatization of religious and other minorities, particularly Muslims.” The organization also noted restrictions on freedom of expression, and the rights of women and girls.

Singh said he grew up hearing stories about reprisals against people who were critical of India’s government and the country’s human rights record, including “torture or some horrific violence or maybe even death.” 

In 2013, when he was an Ontario MPP, he was denied a visa to visit the country in 2013. He attributes that to concerns he previously raised about human rights violations. 

WATCH | Opposition leaders react to accusation against India’s government:Opposition leaders react to Trudeau’s allegations about Sikh leader’s deathConservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh call on the Indian government to cooperate with Canadian authorities during their investigation.

“For folks that have this image of India as the world’s largest democracy, I’m sure it’s shocking,” Singh said. 

But he argued that the latest accusation felt “very, very much par for the course for what India and other countries like it do.”

“It’s an outrageous and shocking thing, but sadly not surprising for a lot of members of the diasporic community that the Indian government can stoop to this type of level,” Singh said.

The Current requested an interview with India’s High Commission in Ottawa but did not receive a response. A request for interview was also sent to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly but she was not available. 

Singh said that if true, the allegations represent “a serious breach of the sovereignty of Canada.”

“There’s no way to have normal relations at this point,” he said.

WATCH | ‘Absurd and motivated’: India responds to allegations it killed Canadian:’Absurd and motivated’: India responds to allegations it killed CanadianThe Indian government responded to allegations it was involved in the killing of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in B.C., calling them ‘absurd and motivated,’ while also accusing Canadian officials of sheltering ‘Khalistani extremists.’Murder might never be solved: expert 

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Singh committed to using “every tool” at his disposal to “bring those responsible to justice.”

But national security expert Richard Fadden said he doesn’t think that will be possible.

“They’re probably not here, and the government of India is not going to collaborate,” said Fadden, former director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

“But that doesn’t mean that the allegations articulated by Mr. Trudeau are not entirely correct.”

WATCH | What is Khalistan? A look at the movement for an independent Sikh state:What is Khalistan? A look at the movement for an independent Sikh stateSome Sikhs have historically been seeking an independent Sikh homeland in northern India called Khalistan. Experts say the history of the movement is complex, emotional and evolving.

Fadden said there are Canadian Sikhs “who use their time, their money and their efforts” to support the creation of a Sikh homeland — but those efforts must remain peaceful. 

Canada has anti-terrorism laws that prohibit the Sikh community or anyone else from promoting violence in other countries, whether by supplying money or people to do so, he said.

Fadden said Canada’s conflict is not with the people of India, but with the current government and intelligence community. 

“In the short term, we’re going to have to really limit our relationships with India to make the point that we’re very unhappy,” he said.

He said Canada should also encourage its allies to apply the same pressure, especially countries with large Indian diaspora groups, like Australia or the U.K.

“If we exercise enough pressure, we might be able to convince India to never do this again, either here or anywhere else.”