KHALISTAN ACTIVISTS KILLED
Nijjar’s murder is the third targeted killing of Khalistan leaders outside India.
In May, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, head of the Khalistan Commando Force, was shot dead by two identified gunmen in Lahore, Pakistan. In June, Avtar Singh Khanda of the UK-based Khalistan Liberation Force was suspected of death by poisoning.
Nijjar was head of the Khalistan Tiger Force as well as an active member of the United States-based group Sikhs for Justice; both organisations are pursuing an independent Sikh homeland. Since 2022, Sikhs for Justice has been conducting referendums in Canada and elsewhere in support of Khalistan.
In 2016, The Times of India reported that, according to intelligence officials in Punjab, Nijjar had taken over as the “operational head” of the Khalistan Tiger Force and was forming groups to launch attacks.
It also claimed that Nijjar frequently visited Pakistan and was in contact with Pakistani intelligence. There have also been allegations that Nijjar was running a camp near Mission, British Columbia, to carry out an attack in Punjab.
Mission Mayor Randy Hawes says that report is not credible. Ralph Goodale, then Canada’s public safety minister, would not comment at the time when asked if there was any basis to that allegation.
In an open letter to Trudeau, Nijjar pointed out that allegations against him were “factually baseless and fabricated”. He added: “Because of my campaign for Sikh rights, it’s my belief that I have become a target of an Indian government media campaign to label my human rights campaign as ‘terrorist activities’.”
The Nijjar episode is the latest in the ongoing saga between India and Canada over the Khalistan movement. The Indian government claims that Canada’s failure to ban groups like Khalistan Tiger Force and Sikhs for Justice compromises India’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.
Canada has so far refused to stop the referendums. Meanwhile, India’s current Hindu populist regime remains intolerant of any dissenting voices – especially from minority communities.
Reeta Tremblay is Professor of Political Science at University of Victoria. This commentary first appeared on The Conversation.
Source: CNA
