In a speech to the House of Commons, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blamed India for the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Hardeep was killed in June of this year; he was an outspoken advocate for the separatist ideology of Khalistan, which seeks to sever the province of Punjab from India.
Can you know who Nijjar was?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar moved to Canada from his birthplace of Bharsinghpur, Jalandhar, Punjab in 1995. Due to his violent and subversive actions and associations with outlawed separatist groups, he gained a reputation as a controversial and infamous figure over the years.
Najjar, who is believed to have participated in terrorist actions in India, has been hiding out in Canada. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had lodged charges against him for his participation in terrorist plots and operations against India.
Both the 2007 bombing of the Shingar Cinema in Ludhiana and the 2009 killing of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat President Rulda Singh in Patiala have been linked to Nijjar.
#BREAKING: Canadian Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau after being snubbed in India during G20, now blames India for the killing of Khalistani radical Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Nijjar was killed in an internal gang fight of Khalistanis at a Sikh Gurudwara in June. pic.twitter.com/Ei42OC15QU
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 18, 2023
Khomeini Movement Affiliation
Najjar was an integral part of the Khalistan movement, which worked toward the creation of a separate Sikh state in the Indian province of Punjab. He was instrumental in planning the Khalistan Referendum that was held in Brampton, Ontario.
Nijjar had ties to the separatist Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group, which was outlawed in India. Authorities in Canada were asked to take action against him after the Indian government accused him of being involved in terrorist acts in Punjab.
The Indian government labeled him a “wanted terrorist,” and his name was included on a list of 40 other individuals with similar status. The NIA offered Rs 10 lakh (about $15,000) in 2022 for information leading to Nijjar’s arrest. The Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), of which Najjar was the leader, was accused of plotting the murder of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, Punjab.
A member of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) from its inception in 2011, when Nijjar met Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) supremo Jagtar Singh Tara in Pakistan. During his travels to Pakistan, he allegedly received training in the creation of IEDs and the handling of high-end guns.
Nijjar allegedly helped Jagtar Singh Tara go from Pakistan to Thailand in 2014 and gave him financial support. He allegedly organized a plot to assassinate high-ranking police officials and religious leaders in India by sending Sikh youths to Canada to be trained in the use of firearms.
This is the full statement of Canadian Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau against India. Canada has chosen to brazen it out and escalate diplomatic standoff with India without a shred of evidence. First blaming India for interference in Canada and now this new Khalistani propaganda. pic.twitter.com/vp6hUKsuT7
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 18, 2023
Crime syndicate membership
Najjar, in addition to his separatist efforts, allied himself with the Punjabi mobster Arshdeep Singh Gill, also known as Arsh Dala. To fund his terrorist activities, he engaged in organized financial crime in both Punjab and Canada, making him a target for competing gangs in the Surrey–Delta region.
Nijjar orchestrated a campaign of threats against Jathedar Akal Takht Giani Harpreet Singh, resulting in the cancellation of Singh’s planned trip to Canada. It was also believed that Nijjar had anything to do with the murder of Ripudaman Malik.
Najjar was the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, and there were persistent rumors that money from the temple was being stolen to finance terrorist operations in the province of Punjab.
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India denies the allegations
The Indian government has also responded to the “absurd” allegations by saying they are false. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying, “Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
It has long been a source of concern that the Canadian government has done nothing to address this issue. It is deeply troubling that prominent Canadian politicians have shown open support for extremists. Canada has long been a safe haven for murder, human trafficking, and other forms of organized crime. We strongly disagree with any attempt to link the Indian government to these events. The MEA further said, “We urge the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from your soil.”