For 50 years, Canada turned blind eye to Khalistani terrorists: Report
In the last decade, links of Canada-based Khalistani extremists have emerged in more than half of the terror cases reported from Punjab, says PTI
For close to half a century now, pro-Khalistan elements have been “operating freely” from Canadian soil on the pretext of “freedom of expression” and “political advocacy”, but the North American country maintains “complete silence” on intimidation, violence, and drug trafficking by these extremists, sources have told news agency PTI.
Way back in 1985, Khalistani extremists carried out the bombing of Air India plane Kanishka, which was one of the biggest terror attacks in the pre-9/11 era. However, thanks to the “lackadaisical” approach of Canadian agencies, key accused Talwinder Singh Parmar and his bunch of Khalistani extremists got away scot-free, the sources said on Tuesday (September 26).
Ironically, Parmar is now a hero of pro-Khalistan extremists in Canada, with the banned group Sikhs for Justice naming its campaign centre after him. Over the years, Khalistani extremists have been further “emboldened” and have been “operating with impunity” from Canada, the sources said.
Canada links to Punjab terror
In the last decade, links of Canada-based Khalistani extremists have emerged in more than half of the terror cases reported from Punjab, according to the sources cited by PTI. The multiple targeted killings of Sikhs, Hindus, and Christians in Punjab after 2016 were the handiwork of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose killing has led to a row between India and Canada.
But Canadian agencies allegedly never launched any investigation against Nijjar and his friends Bhagat Singh Brar, Parry Dulai, Arsh Dalla, Lakbir Landa, and many others, the sources said, adding that for Canada, they remain “political activists” despite the increasing body count in Punjab.
Punjab today suffers heavily because of extortion rackets run from Canada, and gangsters based in the North American country bring drugs from Pakistan through drones and sell them across Punjab, they said. A part of this money goes back to Khalistani extremists in Canada.
Even in Canada, many pro-Khalistan extremists are part of the drug trade. Inter-gang rivalries among gangsters from Punjab are reportedly common in Canada now.
Canada’s “double standards”
The sources said a pro-India Sikh leader, Ripudaman Singh Malik, was killed in 2022 in Canada’s Surrey, a murder that many say was orchestrated by Nijjar. But Canadian agencies allegedly did not show any urgency in finding the culprits and unravelling the real conspiracy. Two local criminals, who were not of Indian origin, were only charged in the case.
Canada’s “soft pedalling” of Khalistanis ensured that moderate and pro-India Sikhs were thrown out of many big gurdwaras in Canada using the muscle and money power of the pro-Khalistan extremists, they added. Emboldened by their “rising clout” in Canada, pro-Khalistan extremists have started openly intimidating the minority Hindus among the Indian diaspora in Canada and defacing their temples.
The recent open threats by Khalistanis to the physical security of Indian missions and diplomats in Canada are a very serious development and challenge the obligation of Canada under the Vienna Convention. But it appears that in Canada, there are different scales for measuring human rights, the sources said.
Voices from Canada are very strong on even trivial issues in Punjab while there has been “complete silence” on intimidation, violence, drug trafficking, and extortion by pro-Khalistan extremists sitting there and affecting both countries, they said.
The Nijjar row
The row between New Delhi and Ottawa erupted after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on September 18 alleged the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing in June. India has strongly rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case.
In a reflection of the hardening of its position, India on September 20 advised all its nationals living in Canada and those contemplating travelling there to exercise “utmost caution” in view of growing anti-India activities and “politically-condoned” hate crimes as well as “criminal violence” in that country.
The next day, India announced that it was temporarily suspending issuance of visas to Canadian citizens in view of “security threats” faced by its high commission and consulates in Canada.
(With agency inputs)
