Canada Accuses Senior Indian Official of Leading Attacks Against Sikh Separatists

Department of Research, Strategic Studies and International Relations 31-10-2024

A Canadian parliamentary committee has been informed of allegations that India’s home affairs minister, Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, orchestrated plots targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. The Canadian government claims Shah led a series of actions aimed at intimidating and attacking members of the Sikh diaspora who support the separatist Khalistan movement.

In testimony before the committee, Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison admitted to previously disclosing information to *The Washington Post* regarding Shah’s alleged role in orchestrating violence and threats against the Sikh community in Canada. Morrison confirmed that he had verified Shah’s involvement when contacted by a journalist. However, he refrained from providing additional specifics on how Canadian authorities connected Shah to the recent events.

India, while not responding specifically to Shah’s involvement, has previously denounced the Canadian accusations as groundless and politically charged. India has further countered with its own allegations, claiming Canada is offering refuge to extremists that pose a direct threat to Indian security.

The allegations come on the heels of a press conference where senior Canadian police officials publicly accused India’s ambassador to Canada, alongside other diplomats, of engaging in unlawful activities on Canadian soil. They asserted that these actions—including harassment, intimidation, and even violent crimes—were directed primarily at the Sikh diaspora.

One of the most notable cases involved Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader who was fatally shot outside a gurdwara near Vancouver last year. In response, Canada expelled several Indian diplomats, prompting a reciprocal response from India, leading to an unprecedented low in diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Canadian authorities claim to have shared intelligence with India linking these officials to illicit actions, including targeted assassinations. Despite these claims, India insists it has seen no compelling evidence and has largely dismissed the allegations.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently acknowledged that his government attempted to address these issues through private discussions with India, but those efforts were met with denials. In a parliamentary hearing, Trudeau asserted that Canadian intelligence had documented cases of violent extortion, home invasions, and even murders allegedly linked to Indian officials in Canada.

These claims are part of a broader pattern in which India has been accused of pursuing a campaign of international repression against Sikh separatists, particularly those associated with the Khalistan movement. Although largely dormant within India, the movement retains support among Sikh communities in North America and the UK. Indian officials have voiced concerns that these activists could incite unrest in Punjab, a predominantly Sikh region in northern India.

In a separate case in the United States, a Justice Department indictment revealed a plot to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The plan allegedly involved an Indian intelligence operative, Vikash Yadav, and an associate, who have been charged with attempted murder-for-hire. U.S. authorities described the plot as an egregious instance of international repression orchestrated by a foreign state.

Canada’s investigation has, so far, resulted in the arrests of three Indian nationals allegedly involved in Nijjar’s assassination. However, Canadian authorities have yet to press formal charges against Indian government employees as their investigation progresses.

These escalating accusations have placed a strain on relations between Canada, the United States, and India, complicating Western strategies in partnering with India, an influential regional power viewed as a strategic counterbalance to China.