#Khalistan Leader Killed

[world-store]

Canada Khalistan Leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar Killing Two Men 50 Bullets Fired 34 Hit Him Report

As tensions continue to deepen between India and Canada over the June 18 killing of pro-Khalistan Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, crucial details have started coming out about his murder. Things took a sharp turn when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that India has “potential links” with the murder. Now, a report in the Washington Post, which quotes several witnesses to the…

[aelloposchrysopterus]

HEY DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE ASSASSINATION OF A PROMINENT SIKH LEADER IN CANADA AND WHY THIS MATTERS?

I generally don't like to write current events-y stuff here, but since I'm not seeing any people talking about this in my corner of this hellsite, I figured I might as well.

DISCLAIMER: For the record, I'm part Punjabi, raised culturally Sikh in the United States, I don't actively practice Sikhism, and I'm writing this assuming a non-Sikh, non-Desi audience that knows little to nothing about Indian politics. I am trying to be as factually accurate as possible but if certain information is incorrect, I will correct this post because a) this is an ongoing issue so the information I have right now may not turn out to be correct and b) my memory is fallible and while I did try to fact-check the background information I remembered, many of these historical events have accounts that differ drastically from each other, so it is difficult to establish a definite truth. This post was written and last updated 25 September 2023.

So, the basic facts of what happened:

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed on 18 June 2023. He was a proponent of the Khalistan movement. In the past week or so, Canadian government officials have accused India of orchestrating his assassination.

Khalistan? What's That and Why Does It Matter?

Like quite a few things in Desi politics, the idea of Khalistan can be traced back to the Partition. At the heart of the Partition, the idea was that Pakistan is for the Muslims and India is for the Hindus.

However, India is not exclusively populated by Hindus, no matter how hard Modi and the BJP* try to make it a Hindu-only nation through their Hindu nationalist policies. Among other religious minority groups, many Sikhs had to made the new India their home, because of the religious persecution they would face in Pakistan. The Radcliffe Line (the line of partition) runs right through Punjab, the ancestral homeland of, among others, most Sikhs. In Punjab, during the Partition, Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims carried out sectarian violence against each other.

What this means is that a lot of Sikhs were displace from their homeland and subjected to discrimination and violence based on their religion in both Pakistan and India. As a result, some members of the Sikh community started calling for a new nation to be carved out of the Punjab regions in Pakistan and India. This new nation was to be a Sikh nation, much like Pakistan for the Muslims and India for the Hindus, and it was to be called Khalistan.

(Little bit of anecdotal trivia: apparently identifying as Punjabi first and Indian second when describing ethnic background is more common among Punjabi Sikhs, due to Sikh efforts to show their connection to Punjabi in an attempt to make Khalistan a Sikh nation in the Punjabi region.)

Needless to say, the Indian government did not and does not like the idea of a Sikh nation and sees the idea of it as a terrorist threat.

*Bharatiya Janata Party, the Hindu nationalist party currently ruling over most of India.

Operation Blue Star and Indira Gandhi

As part of this rising call for a Sikh nation, Sikh militant groups sprung up. Indira Gandhi's government wanted to arrest one of the most prominent leaders of a Sikh militant movement. However, he and his supporters were holed up in the holiest site in Sikhism, the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

On one of the holiest days in Sikhism, the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, the Indian military began their attack on the Golden Temple, known as Operation Blue Star. Long story short, Sikh pilgrims were killed during both the fighting and in extrajudicial killings by the military afterwards.

In anger at how Gandhi's government had carried out Operation Blue Star, two of her Sikh bodyguards assassinated her. Anti-Sikh pogroms then occurred, with independent estimates of the number of Sikhs killed ranging from 8,000 to 17,000.

This only made tensions between the Sikh community and the Indian government worse; I see this as a defining moment in how the government of India responds to the Khalistan movement and both Sikh extremist violence and peaceful support.

Oh and did I mention yet that the Indian government has outlawed the Khalistan movement?

The law that does this dates back to 1967, by the way.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar

And so now we come to the story of the recently-assassinated Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Due to Khalistani activism being outlawed in India, many Khalistani activists have settled abroad. This includes Nijjar, who became a Canadian citizen in 2007 and had first come to Canada to apply for asylum after having been arrested by the Indian police in connection with his pro-Khalistan stance. He continued his Sikh and Khalistani activism in Canada until he was killed in the parking lot of the gurdwara he belonged to by two masked gunmen.

The Canadian government recently alleged that the Indian government war involved in the killing of Nijjar, but has not yet provided firm evidence.

Why Does This Matter?

Obviously, as a culturally Sikh person, it matters to me because this assassination is part of a legacy of violence targeting my community due to perceived associations with terrorism. (Yes, there are some Sikh extremists and terrorists, but the overwhelming majority of Sikhs are neither extremists nor terrorists.)

But this has ramifications that everyone should care about.

Canada and India have recently done tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions due to the Canadian government's allegations

The US may also get dragged into this because Canada alleged that American intelligence gave them some information necessary to prove the involvement of the India government

The UK may also get dragged into this because they, too, have a sizeable Punjabi Sikh community that includes multiple MPs and the government has historically had strong relationships with both Canada and India

Despite the BJP's involvement in anti-Muslim violence, Modi and his government still enjoy a cozy relationship with many Western nations; this may start to change, although change is unlikely as Western governments see being allied with India as key to countering Chinese influence

If India is proven to be behind the assassination, this could be bad for other Khalistani activists in the Sikh diaspora because it means the Indian government could potentially target and kill them, too

This is important. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and this isn't an isolated incident. I know I probably didn't do a great job explaining this, but it's hard to summarize about 550 years of oppression and violence and politics and culture and how that has manifested over the past 80 years, leading to the murder of a prominent leader in the Sikh diaspora.

For further reading on this, I'd suggest this BBC article, which includes information on some other Khalistani activists recently killed.

Anyhow, I'll keep trying to follow the news on this and update this post as needed, likely through reblogs.

[mariacallous]

A long-simmering diplomatic spat between India and Canada escalated dramatically on Monday as Ottawa expelled six Indian officials, including the country’s top diplomat, implicating them in the killing of a Sikh separatist who was fatally shot outside a temple in British Columbia last year. 

India, which has rejected the allegations, responded in kind by ejecting six Canadian diplomats, including the country’s acting high commissioner. 

An ongoing Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigation into the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an Indian-born citizen of Canada, found links to the six Indian officials, the Canadian government said. After India refused to waive their diplomatic immunity so that they could cooperate with the probe, Ottawa moved to expel the officials. 

“The decision to expel these individuals was made with great consideration and only after the RCMP gathered ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the Nijjar case,” Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement. 

The Indian officials are alleged by the RCMP to have been directly involved in the gathering of intelligence on Sikh separatists in Canada, which is home to the largest Sikh population outside of India, according to Canadian government statistics. 

Canada has previously accused India’s government of involvement in the killing of Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by New Delhi in 2020 for his leadership of an organization called the Khalistan Tiger Force. The Indian government pointed to Nijjar’s social media posts, saying that that they contained “seditionary and insurrectionary imputations” that were “attempting to create disharmony among different communities in India.”

India has consistently denied involvement in Nijjar’s death, and in a lengthy statement published on Monday, New Delhi accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of “smearing India for political gains,” adding that Trudeau’s government had “not shared a shred of evidence” with India and has ignored multiple extradition requests of “terrorists and organized crime leaders living in Canada.” 

The diplomatic dust-up has been decades in the making. Scores of Sikhs fled India in the 1980s and 1990s amid a violent crackdown on the Khalistan movement, which called for a separate nation-state for Sikhs in the Indian state of Punjab.

Canada was among the most popular destinations at the time, and the country’s Sikh population now numbers nearly 800,000, according to the 2021 census. And while supporters of Khalistan are believed to make up only a small proportion of that population, the blurring of domestic and foreign policy in Canada—coupled with an increasingly belligerent Indian foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi—has set the stage for a breakdown in bilateral relations.

“Of all the countries [where the Sikh diaspora fled in the 1980s], Canada is the only one where the population is large enough to sway constituencies in domestic politics,” said Aparna Pande, the director of the India Initiative at the Hudson Institute, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. “India as a 77-year-old modern state was created by the breakup of the country, and it has dealt with several separatist movements since then. So for the Indian state, any individual who talks about separatism is an anathema, and anyone who supports this is seen to be supporting the breakup of the country,” she added.

The long-standing nature of the tensions was also highlighted by the RCMP alleging the involvement of Indian government agents in “serious criminal activity” more broadly, saying it had “successfully investigated and charged a significant number of individuals for their direct involvement in homicides, extortions and other criminal acts of violence” over the past few years.

The diplomatic rupture comes at a time when India has increasingly been accused of practicing “transnational repression,” a term used to describe efforts by governments to reach across borders to harass, silence, and even kill critics abroad. 

Transnational repression is a growing phenomenon that is mostly commonly associated with authoritarian states such as China and Russia, the latter of which has made headlines in recent years over its brazen attempts to poison and assassinate its critics in Europe. 

Governments have long sought to keep tabs on—and at times silence—their critics abroad, but the rising tide of authoritarianism around the world and the advent of the internet have fueled a recent surge. “Everything shows that these trends are on the rise,” said Dana Moss, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studies the phenomenon. 

Last week, Ken McCallum—the head of MI-5, Britain’s domestic intelligence agency—said in rare public remarks that the country was facing a “staggering rise” in assassination and sabotage attempts from Russia and Iran. Both countries have sought to recruit criminals to carry out the attacks, with 20 potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots uncovered since the beginning of 2022. 

Populist democracies such as Turkey and India are also becoming increasingly aggressive in pursuit of their political foes. In November 2023, the U.S. Justice Department accused an Indian official of directing a plot to assassinate a U.S.-based Sikh activist. And Ankara has dramatically stepped up efforts to forcibly return its perceived enemies from overseas since an attempted coup in 2016.

Yet these same countries’ geopolitical importance often complicates Western efforts to respond forcefully to their actions. Turkey is a NATO ally, for instance, and India plays a crucial role in Western efforts to balance China in the Indo-Pacific.

This balancing act was thrown in stark relief by the 2018 killing of Saudi Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives in the country’s consulate in Turkey. U.S. President Joe Biden vowed on the campaign trail in 2019 to turn Riyadh into a “pariah” state over the killing, yet his administration has instead courted the country, viewing it as a pivotal player in U.S. efforts to redraw the contours of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

India’s linchpin role in Western efforts against major adversaries such as China and Russia has similarly complicated the United States’ own allegations against the Modi government of assassination attempts against a Sikh separatist on U.S. soil. In its own indictment, unsealed in November, the Justice Department accused an Indian citizen named Nikhil Gupta of colluding with an unnamed Indian government official to try to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a pro-Khalistan activist and U.S. citizen based in New York. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic and extradited to the United States earlier this year. 

Pande, the expert from the Hudson Institute, said that the United States’ relatively by-the-book approach to the Pannun case has stood in stark contrast to Canada’s approach to Nijjar’s case. In the latter, Trudeau and Joly have been at the forefront of publicly leveling accusations against India. Biden, on the other hand, has allowed himself a degree of diplomatic wiggle room by letting the Justice Department and intelligence agencies take the lead without weighing in publicly himself.

“The U.S. didn’t stand on a bully pulpit,” Pande added. 

India has also treated the U.S. allegations far more delicately, pledging cooperation from the outset. Even as Canada’s and India’s mutual diplomatic expulsions were confirmed on Tuesday, an Indian investigative team arrived in Washington, D.C., to discuss the attempted Pannun assassination with U.S. officials.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, New Delhi also informed the Biden administration that the government official referenced in the November indictment—known only as “CC-1”—is no longer in the government and has been placed under arrest. (The Indian Embassy in Washington declined to comment). 

Those developments reflect the degree of realpolitik between India and the United States, whose bilateral relationship has grown markedly closer under the Biden administration. And while the broader fallout of the India-Canada breakdown remains to be seen (further complicated by the fact that the number of Indians emigrating to Canada has more than quadrupled over the past decade), Washington will likely face limited collateral damage.

“There’s a huge difference between the India-Canada relationship and the India-U.S. relationship in every sense,” Pande said. “The U.S. has a remarkable ability to engage with countries that don’t get along with each other.” 

[beardedmrbean]

India has stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens amid an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil.

India said the temporary move was due to "security threats" disrupting work at its missions in Canada.

Tensions flared this week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said India may have been behind the 18 June killing.

But Mr Trudeau said on Thursday he was not looking to provoke India with the allegation.

India has angrily rejected the allegation, calling it "absurd".

Speaking to reporters in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Mr Trudeau said: "There is no question that India is a country of growing importance and a country we need to continue to work with."

He said Canada was not looking to provoke India or cause problems with the allegation but is unequivocal about the importance of the rule of law and protecting Canadians.

Relations between the countries - key trade and security partners, and US allies - have been strained for months. Analysts say they are now at an all-time low.

India's government swiftly made clear the suspension of visa services also "applies to Canadians in a third country".

"There have been threats made to our high commission [embassy] and consulates in Canada," a foreign affairs ministry spokesman in Delhi said. "This has disrupted their normal functioning. Accordingly [they] are temporarily unable to process visa applications."

He said: "India is looking for parity in rank and diplomatic strength between the diplomatic missions of the two countries. This is being sought because of Canadian diplomatic interference in our internal affairs."

Hours earlier Canada had announced it was reducing its personnel in India, saying some diplomats had received threats on social media.

"In light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats," a statement said.

Canada's visa services remain open in India.

The two countries have historic close ties - and much is at stake.

How India-Canada ties descended into a public feud

Why are some Sikhs calling for a separate state?

Canada has 1.4 million people of Indian origin - more than half of them Sikhs - making up 3.7% of the country's population, according to the 2021 census. India also sends the highest number of international students to Canada - in 2022, they made up 40% of total overseas students at 320,000.

According to Indian government statistics, about 80,000 Canadian tourists visited India in 2021, behind only the US, Bangladesh and UK.

The row burst into the open on Monday after Canada linked India with the murder of separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was shot dead in his vehicle by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada's intelligence agencies were investigating whether "agents of the government of India" were involved in the killing of Nijjar - who India designated a terrorist in 2020.

India reacted strongly, saying Canada was trying to "shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists" who had been given shelter there. The Indian government has often reacted sharply to demands by Sikh separatists in Western countries for Khalistan, or a separate Sikh homeland.

On Thursday, Mr Trudeau was pressed by journalists about what evidence there was that suggested India was linked to the murder.

He did not share further details, but said "the decision to share these allegations was not done lightly".

"It was done with the utmost seriousness," Mr Trudeau said, urging Indian officials to cooperate with the investigation into the killing.

A spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry said Canada has not shared specific information with India on Nijjar's murder.

"We have conveyed this to the Canadian side, made it clear to them that we are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us," said Arindam Bagchi on Thursday. "But so far we have not received any such specific information."

The Khalistan movement peaked in India in the 1980s with a violent insurgency centred in Sikh-majority Punjab state.

It was quelled by force and has little resonance in India now, but is still popular among some in the Sikh diaspora in countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK.

[divinum-pacis]

June 6, 2023: Activists from various Sikh organizations hold placards showing portraits of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a Sikh militant leader who fought for an independent Sikh homeland, as they shout pro-Khalistan and anti-government slogans after offering prayers at the Golden Temple ahead of the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, in Amritsar, India. Bhindranwale and his supporters were killed in 1984 when the Indian army stormed the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion.

(AP Photo/Prabhjot Gill)

[head-post]

Canada’s PM condemns violence at Hindu temple near Toronto

Leaders of Canada’s three major federal parties have condemned the violent clashes that erupted on Sunday during a visit by Indian consulate officials to a Hindu temple in Brampton, a suburb of Toronto.

Peel Regional Police said Sunday that a protest had broken out at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, and unverified videos circulating on social media showed demonstrators holding pro-Khalistan placards, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The videos show fist fights and people hitting each other with sticks in an area adjacent to the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple, the report said.

Speaking to website X, Trudeau thanked local authorities for their swift response to protect the community and investigate the incident. Trudeau wrote on X on Monday:

The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely. Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident.

Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa also issued a strong statement on Monday condemning the recent attack by “anti-Indian” elements on the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton.

The incident disrupted a consular event organised jointly by the Hindu Sabha Mandir and the Indian Consulate. In a statement, the High Commission said:

We have seen violent disruption today (November 3), orchestrated by anti-India elements outside the consular camp co-organised with the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton, near Toronto.

Peel Regional Police said Sunday afternoon that they were aware of the protest taking place at the Hindu Sabha Mandir and had increased their presence at the temple to maintain public order and security.

Police did not provide further details about the social media videos, what happened or whether any complaints had been filed.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown condemned the violence, writing on website X on Sunday afternoon, saying the perpetrators should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Relations between the two countries soured after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last September claimed “possible” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who Indian authorities consider an extremist.

New Delhi dismissed Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd” and said Canada was allowing pro-Khalistan elements to operate with impunity on Canadian soil.

Read more HERE

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] In a striking revelation, Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s recently recalled envoy to Canada, has accused a faction of hard-line Khalistani supporters in Canada of engaging in serious criminal activities, including human trafficking and arms smuggling. Verma asserted that these individuals are exploiting gurdwaras to fund their illicit operations. Verma described the hard-line Khalistani community in Canada as a minority of about 10,000 people who have transformed the Khalistan movement into a lucrative business. “They are a small group, but they are the loudest and most influential,” he stated in an interview with PTI. Verma did not hold back in criticizing the Canadian government, labeling its approach to diplomatic relations with India as “unprofessional” and deeply problematic. “This is the pits,” he remarked. The diplomat’s comments come against a backdrop of escalating tensions between India and Canada, following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Verma alleged that while India had shared names of individuals like Goldie Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi with Canada, there seemed to be a lack of action on the Canadian side, with Brar’s name inexplicably vanishing from the wanted list. “We have never done anything covert, Canada has not shared a shred of evidence,” Verma said. When asked about Trudeau’s alleged promotion of extremism, Verma articulated his views on the matter. He suggested that inaction against known criminals and extremists could be seen as tacit encouragement. “If one takes no action against them, so that is akin to an encouragement. So, that encouragement is seen a lot there, either it is for domestic vote-bank or other political reasons,” he noted. Earlier, Verma had condemned the lack of evidence presented by the Canadian government regarding the allegations against India. He criticized the perceived hypocrisy of Western nations, asserting that the days of developed countries dictating terms to developing nations are over. Click here for Latest Fact Checked News On NewsMobile WhatsApp Channel For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] In a striking revelation, Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s recently recalled envoy to Canada, has accused a faction of hard-line Khalistani supporters in Canada of engaging in serious criminal activities, including human trafficking and arms smuggling. Verma asserted that these individuals are exploiting gurdwaras to fund their illicit operations. Verma described the hard-line Khalistani community in Canada as a minority of about 10,000 people who have transformed the Khalistan movement into a lucrative business. “They are a small group, but they are the loudest and most influential,” he stated in an interview with PTI. Verma did not hold back in criticizing the Canadian government, labeling its approach to diplomatic relations with India as “unprofessional” and deeply problematic. “This is the pits,” he remarked. The diplomat’s comments come against a backdrop of escalating tensions between India and Canada, following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Verma alleged that while India had shared names of individuals like Goldie Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi with Canada, there seemed to be a lack of action on the Canadian side, with Brar’s name inexplicably vanishing from the wanted list. “We have never done anything covert, Canada has not shared a shred of evidence,” Verma said. When asked about Trudeau’s alleged promotion of extremism, Verma articulated his views on the matter. He suggested that inaction against known criminals and extremists could be seen as tacit encouragement. “If one takes no action against them, so that is akin to an encouragement. So, that encouragement is seen a lot there, either it is for domestic vote-bank or other political reasons,” he noted. Earlier, Verma had condemned the lack of evidence presented by the Canadian government regarding the allegations against India. He criticized the perceived hypocrisy of Western nations, asserting that the days of developed countries dictating terms to developing nations are over. Click here for Latest Fact Checked News On NewsMobile WhatsApp Channel For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram [ad_2] Source link

[connectingsocial]

Who is Hardeep Singh Nijjar

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who became a prominent figure in the pro-Khalistan movement in Canada, was accused by the Indian government of various criminal activities related to separatism and terrorism. India claimed that Nijjar was involved in organizing and financing violent acts to further the cause of an independent Khalistan. Here are the key criminal accusations tied to him:

1. Terrorist Designation by India (2020)

In 2020, India officially declared Hardeep Singh Nijjar a "terrorist" under its Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This designation was based on accusations that Nijjar had connections to banned militant organizations advocating for the violent secession of Punjab from India to create a Khalistan state.

2. Alleged Involvement in Bomb Plots

The Indian government accused Nijjar of being involved in plotting bomb attacks within India, specifically targeting key locations in Punjab. These plans, according to Indian intelligence agencies, were designed to create unrest and provoke violence to further the separatist agenda.

3. Links to Militant Groups

Indian authorities alleged that Nijjar had close ties with various Khalistani militant outfits, particularly the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). He was accused of recruiting individuals for these groups, organizing their training, and planning attacks against Indian targets. The Indian government also claimed that Nijjar was coordinating with other separatist leaders in Pakistan to destabilize the Indian state.

4. Involvement in Funding and Radicalization

Nijjar was accused of using his position in Canada to fund and radicalize individuals in support of the Khalistan movement. According to Indian officials, he was involved in raising money through local Sikh organizations and temples in Canada to finance militant operations in Punjab. These operations allegedly included training camps for young recruits.

5. Mastermind of Targeted Killings

Indian security agencies alleged that Nijjar masterminded several targeted killings in India, aimed at eliminating individuals opposed to the Khalistan movement or those working against the separatist cause. These killings were described as part of a broader campaign to instill fear and push for Khalistan’s creation through violence.

6. Interference in Indian Politics

India also accused Nijjar of being part of a larger network of Khalistan sympathizers in Canada who sought to interfere with Indian politics by promoting anti-India sentiment abroad. He was charged with using Canadian soil to propagate propaganda, organise anti-India rallies, and disrupt diplomatic efforts between the two countries.

[werindialive]

U.S. Charges Former Indian RAW Officer in Assassination Plot Against Sikh Leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

The recent revelation of an alleged assassination plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a vocal advocate for Sikh separatism and the founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has triggered a diplomatic stir between India and the United States. U.S. authorities have charged a former Indian intelligence officer, previously associated with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), with orchestrating a plan to kill Pannun, highlighting the deepening tensions surrounding the Khalistan movement.

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicated that the assassination plot was commissioned by an individual linked to Sikh separatist circles. This development points to the increasing threat faced by diaspora activists like Pannun, who have become targets for their outspoken advocacy for the creation of Khalistan, a separate Sikh state. Pannun, a long-standing critic of the Indian government’s policies towards Sikhs, is particularly known for his efforts to hold referendums on Khalistan’s independence in various countries, including Canada and the U.S.

The charges have exacerbated the already fraught relations between India and Sikh separatists abroad. India, which has consistently cracked down on pro-Khalistan activities, considers the SFJ a terrorist organization. The Indian government, however, has categorically denied involvement in the plot, maintaining that it adheres to international legal standards. An Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated, pointing to the sensitive diplomatic landscape that frames Indo-U.S. relations.

The FBI’s investigation into the plot is ongoing, with American authorities calling the charges “serious.” While the former RAW official remains outside U.S. jurisdiction, the case has put India under scrutiny. The incident follows other recent controversies that have tested the Indo-U.S. relationship, particularly around human rights issues and freedom of speech. American officials have expressed confidence that diplomatic channels remain open, with discussions on this matter continuing “respectfully and effectively.”

This assassination plot comes amid growing international awareness of the Khalistan movement and its ramifications for India’s internal security. Sikh separatism has long been a contentious issue in India, and the involvement of diaspora communities in pro-Khalistan activities has led to escalating tensions in countries with significant Sikh populations, including Canada, the U.K., and the U.S. These countries have witnessed increased activism, which has occasionally led to diplomatic challenges with India.

The legal proceedings in this case will likely determine the future course of action for both governments. U.S. officials have made it clear that they will pursue justice based on evidence, while India remains watchful of how the case unfolds. For now, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun continues to be at the center of a complex web of geopolitical and domestic concerns, with his safety and the future of the Khalistan movement hanging in the balance.

For more latest political news in Hindi, subscribe to our newsletter.

[cavenewstimes]

India, US confirm ‘CC1’, key figure in plot to kill Khalistani leader Pannun, ‘no longer’ Indian govt employee

Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. (File) IN THE first official confirmation, both India and the United States on Thursday said a person identified as “CC1” in the US Department of Justice (DOJ) indictment — linked to an alleged plot to kill US-based Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun — was “no longer an employee of the Indian government”. The Ministry of External Affairs’…

[jccrmun24khalistan]

Balram Jakhar speaks.

19 February 1988, Punjab Times

Speech at the Lok Sabha to the Indian people broadcaated on television and radio

A council directive has been passed through the Indian government and here are the main details and information.

Generous compensation and provision of aid for the family of those killed, those who have had their property damaged, their livelihoods impacted, and those who were injured or traumatised due to any actions committed after 1981. The amount paid out will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

After inquiries by the independent commission have concluded, parties that are found accountable are to face appropriate actions and consequences. The appropriate actions that will be taken shall be decided jointly by the Minister of Defence, Chief of Border Security, and the Akali Dal.

The river waters claims of Haryana and Punjab will also be renegotiated by another independent commission set up by the United Nations an the findings will be binding.

There will also be an official adoption of the All India Farmers’ Scheme, also known as AIFS, which is a government micro-loans scheme for farmers seeking to improve their agricultural yield or equipment, with funds provided by the Ministry of Finance. AIFS is however only applicable to those who are not evading taxes and blockading rice.

There will also be the implementation of Operation Crack, a month-long operation to eliminate all aggressive militants who support The Khalistan Movemen hopefully ends all unrest on the streets of Ind

The implementation of the National Organisational Framework Undergirding Concession Consultation, hereafter known as NOFUCC, to negotiate with moderate Akali Dal leaders in the future directly.

In conclusion, parts of the Indian governments are working for the people, we are working for the people's benefits. We are passing legislations and council directives to support the Indian people no matter of their religon in this time of crisis and need. We are trying to help the Indian population, we are helping you. The Indian government is trying their best to resolve the current tenions and violence. This is a way for us to support the people affected, have faith is us, we will resolve this.

[beardedmrbean]

India has urged its citizens travelling to or living in Canada to "exercise utmost caution".

The advisory comes a day after tensions escalated between the countries with each expelling a diplomat from the other side.

Canada said it was investigating "credible allegations" linking the Indian state with the killing of a Sikh separatist leader.

India strongly denied this, calling the allegations "absurd".

Analysts say relations between the countries, which have been strained for months, are now at an all-time low.

How India-Canada ties descended into a public feud

Why Western nations fear India-Canada row

On Wednesday, India's foreign ministry said it issued the advisory "in view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada".

The Indian government has often reacted sharply to demands by Sikh separatists in Western countries for Khalistan, or a separate Sikh homeland.

The Khalistan movement peaked in India in the 1980s with a violent insurgency centred in Sikh-majority Punjab state.

It was quelled by force and has little resonance in India now, but is still popular among some in the Sikh diaspora in countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK.

Canada has the highest number of Sikhs outside Punjab and has seen several pro-Khalistan protests and demonstrations. In June, reports said India had raised a "formal complaint" with Canada about the safety of its diplomats there.

In Wednesday's statement, Delhi said that some recent threats were directed at its diplomats and some Indians "who oppose the anti-India agenda".

"Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents," it said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that intelligence agencies were investigating whether "agents of the government of India" were involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen - India had designated him a terrorist in 2020.

Nijjar was shot dead in his vehicle by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple on 18 June in British Columbia.

"Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty," Mr Trudeau told the Canadian parliament on Monday.

India reacted strongly, saying that Canada was trying to "shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists" who had been given shelter there.

Some Indian media reports claimed the statement from Delhi followed a similar Canadian advisory for its citizens travelling to India. Canada's government confirmed its travel advice for India had been updated on Monday but said it had been "as part of pre-scheduled and routine maintenance in the section on travel health information".

"No new risk information has been added to the India TAA [Travel Advice and Advisories] page," a spokesperson told the BBC. Ottawa's advisory asks its citizens to "exercise a high degree of caution" because of the "risk of terrorist attacks throughout" India.

[jccrmun24central]

Balram Jakhar speaks.

19 February 1988, Punjab Times

Speech at the Lok Sabha to the Indian people broadcaated on television and radio

A council directive has been passed through the Indian government and here are the main details and information.

Generous compensation and provision of aid for the family of those killed, those who have had their property damaged, their livelihoods impacted, and those who were injured or traumatised due to any actions committed after 1981. The amount paid out will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

After inquiries by the independent commission have concluded, parties that are found accountable are to face appropriate actions and consequences. The appropriate actions that will be taken shall be decided jointly by the Minister of Defence, Chief of Border Security, and the Akali Dal.

The river waters claims of Haryana and Punjab will also be renegotiated by another independent commission set up by the United Nations an the findings will be binding.

There will also be an official adoption of the All India Farmers’ Scheme, also known as AIFS, which is a government micro-loans scheme for farmers seeking to improve their agricultural yield or equipment, with funds provided by the Ministry of Finance. AIFS is however only applicable to those who are not evading taxes and blockading rice.

There will also be the implementation of Operation Crack, a month-long operation to eliminate all aggressive militants who support The Khalistan Movemen hopefully ends all unrest on the streets of Ind

The implementation of the National Organisational Framework Undergirding Concession Consultation, hereafter known as NOFUCC, to negotiate with moderate Akali Dal leaders in the future directly.

In conclusion, parts of the Indian governments are working for the people, we are working for the people's benefits. We are passing legislations and council directives to support the Indian people no matter of their religon in this time of crisis and need. We are trying to help the Indian population, we are helping you. The Indian government is trying their best to resolve the current tenions and violence. This is a way for us to support the people affected, have faith is us, we will resolve this.

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Canada accuses Indian minister Amit Shah of plotting attack on Sikh separatists

The Canadian government claimed that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was behind plots to attack Sikh separatists in the North American country, Reuters reported.

However, New Delhi dismissed Canada’s earlier allegations as baseless, denying any involvement. According to The Washington Post, Canadian officials claimed that Shah allegedly promoted a campaign of violence and intimidation against Sikh separatists in Canada, Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison disclosed.

The journalist called me and asked if it [Shah] was that person. I confirmed it was that person.

India labelled Sikh separatists as “terrorists” and a threat to its security. Sikh separatists are demanding the secession of an independent homeland known as Khalistan from India. Insurgency in India in the 1980s and 1990s killed tens of thousands of people.

The 1984 riots erupted when Sikh bodyguards killed then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after she had ordered security forces to storm the holiest Sikh temple to dislodge Sikh separatists.

Canada expelled Indian diplomats in mid-October, linking them to the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023 in Canada. In response, India ordered the expulsion of Canadian diplomats.

The US also indicted former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav for allegedly masterminding an uncovered plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen and Indian critic in New York.

The charges tested Washington and Ottawa’s relationship with New Delhi, which is often seen as a rival to Beijing.

Read more HERE