Canada is a signatory to the declaration that no G-20 nation should allow its territory to be used for promotion of terrorism in another country at the recently concluded G-20 Nations Summit held in Delhi.
Surprisingly, anti-India terrorist activities are being allowed to continue in Canada. It may be recalled that in 1980s, some Sikhs who advocate creation of Khalistan led a separatist movement and claimed the lives of thousands. The then PM Indira Gandhi urged Canada in 1982 to see to it that Sikh extremism is not allowed in that country.
Then Pierre Trudeau, who was the father of current Canada PM Justin Trudeau, was the Prime Minister of Canada. However, in 1984 as misfortune would have it, Sikh bodyguards of Mrs Gandhi claimed her life. In 1985, Sikh extremists had blown up an Air India flight after it taking off from Canada claiming lives of 329 passengers, including 268 Canadians.
In spite of it, the Canadian PM is putting the blame on Indian officials for some unidentified persons gunning down a Sikh extremist called Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Gurudwara in Surrey on June 18 last.
Ever since Narendra Modi came to power, he is dealing extremist activities with an iron hand and also adopted a tough posture against terrorist activities taking place on foreign soil against India. This year, wanted Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh was arrested after a three-month-long hunt.
About Nijjar, Indian officials tipped off Canada about his terrorist activities way back in 2020. Nijjar had links with Khalistan Tiger Force, active in Punjab working for Khalistan. The NIA shared information with Britain, the USA, Australia, Canada, Dubai, Pakistan and other nations about 19 terrorists.
There were reports in the media about terrorist activities against India going on the soil of other countries.
Recently, some Sikh protestors removed the India flag near the Indian High Commission in London. Also, they damaged the glass window panes of the building.
Khalistan supporters wrote anti-India graffiti on the walls of Hindu temples in Canada. In Ottawa, they targeted Indian High Commission office. They harassed Hindus celebrating the festival of lights – Diwali.
Modi requested PMs of Australia, Canada and the UK not to give any scope for such terrorist activities taking place on their soils. He also sought legal action against Khalistan terrorists.
The Khalistan movement was banned by India long back declaring the organisations behind the movement as terrorist organisations, Modi told the PMs.
Surprisingly, running terrorist activities in countries like Canada was not illegal and terrorists enjoy protection under freedom of the speech.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who sought to create an independent Sikh nation out of Punjab on religious grounds and appealed to Sikhs worldwide for support to the Khalistan referendum, was declared as terrorist in 2019 by India. Pannu, in association with Nijjar, has been conducting terrorist activities in Canada for over several years. Pannu recently issued warning to Indian Hindus to go back to India. The NIA, in its report, mentioned that he was hatching a plot to separate Kashmir from India. In all, 16 cases were registered against him in Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand. He figured as an accused in two dozens of cases in Punjab even facing the charge of sedition.
Recently, our intelligence officials passed information to the Government of Canada about various Canadian nationals having links with Sikh Federation and Khalistan Liberation Force. They furnished a list of names of those donating funds to Khalistan movement.
Eight lakh Sikhs live in Canada, constituting 2% of the Canadian population. Majority of the Sikhs live in British Columbia. The NDP Party of Jagmeet Singh, who is a supporter of Khalistan, in 2021 elections won 24 seats. It is clear that the Justin Trudeau government – a minority government – is surviving on the support from Jagmeet Singh. That is why, the Government is supporting Khalistan movement due to political reasons.
Some of the senior advisors of Trudeau and his Cabinet ministers are supporters of Khalistan. In fact, Punjabi Sikhs supported Trudeau to capture the leadership of the Trudeau’s Federal Liberal Party.
On the lines of an agreement reached with the FBI of the USA and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), an agreement was reached between the NIA and RCMP in 2020 on mutual cooperation in matters related to terrorist activities. In spite of it, Trudeau government, practising vote bank politics, providing shelter to Khalistanis.
It was high-time Trudeau realised that Modi would not compromise on terrorism, India’s unity and integrity gives priority to these issues compared to maintaining economic and political ties with Canada.
Modi already sent feelers by seizing properties of many Khalistani terrorists in Punjab that those who raise funds to promote terrorist activities on foreign soil should not have any roots in India.
It may be recalled that US solidiers neutralised notorious Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011 and Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Israel too eliminated many Palestinian militants.
Further, why did Canada Government not blame Pakistan when human rights activist Karima Baloch, who highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan government in Beluchistan, was done to death in Toronto?
All nations across Globe are well aware of the fact that Modi-led India would not go soft on such issues. That is why, no government is coming forward to support the stand taken by Canada government on Khalistan.
