As India-Canada relations continue to deteriorate, the Canadian govt seemed to have started hiding signs of terror activities of Khalistani groups operating from the country. A contentious poster calling for the assassination of three Indian diplomates placed outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in Surrey has now been removed. The poster was placed there after the mysterious killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside the Gurudwara.
On 23rd September, a clip from Global News Canada went viral on social media where the poster calling for Indian diplomats’ assassination was being removed from outside the Gurdwara in Canada’s Surrey. Several such posters were erected in different places in Canada following the deaths of several Khalistani terrorists, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Notably, Canada has accused India of being involved in the murder of Nijjar.
News: 🇨🇦 Amidst rising tensions between India and Canada, authorities have issued a directive to a radical stronghold Gurdwara, urging the immediate removal of all contentious banners.
— Norbert Elikes (@NorbertElikes) September 23, 2023
These banners had previously called for the assassination of three Indian diplomats and… pic.twitter.com/nYSO6fuUKd
Before Prime Minister Justine Trudeau, the Khalistani groups had already blamed India for the killing of Nijjar, and the posters were put up accusing three Indian diplomats of the murder and calling for their assassination. The poster placed outside the Gurudwara had the photos and names of the heads of three Indian missions in Canada – Ottawa-based Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, Consul General of India in Toronto Apoorva Srivastava, and Consul General of India Vancouver Manish. It is notable that Apoorva Srivastava has been recently transferred as Ambassador of India to the Slovak Republic, and Siddhartha Nath has taken her place.
The poster had the words ‘Assassination wanted’ with the names and photos of the diplomats, and it glorified Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Talwinder Singh Parmar, Babbar Khalsa founder and the mastermind of the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing that killed 329 people. Parmar died in 1992 in India in a police encounter.
According to reports, the Surrey Gurdwara was asked to remove the posters by the authorities after the government finally realised the gravity of the issue, and the message it was sending. The Gurdwara has also been cautioned not to use loudspeakers for any radical announcements, as per reports. However, the removal of the poster does not mean Canada is cracking down on Khalistanis, it is just a cosmetic exercise, as the Khalistanis continue to roam free and issue death threats to Indians from Canadian soil.
On 12th September, OpIndia reported that Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was seen in Ottawa, Canada, while Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was in Delhi to attend G-20 Summit. Pannun was in Canada to participate in the so-called referendum voting for Khalistan.
Allegations of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s murder and the aftermath
On 19th September, Trudeau accused India of being involved in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. The accusations turned out to be allegations based on information Canadian intelligence gathered with some inputs from US intelligence. So far, Canada has failed to provide any specific information or evidence that may prove India was behind the murder of Khalistani terrorists.
What Trudeau said was in sync with the allegations laid down by Khalistani terrorist Pannun in his statements following Nijjar and other Khalistani terrorist’s deaths in recent months. Following the allegations, calls for the murder of Indian diplomats were made by Khalistanis. Interestingly, despite India’s strong objection and concerns over the threats, Canada failed to act against Khalistani terrorists.
Recently, India categorically called Canada a safe haven for terrorists and gangsters, putting the Western country in parallel to Pakistan. India has given lists of terrorists and gangsters to Canada, the US and other countries that are most wanted in India. However, the Western countries have failed to act on India’s requests. Interpol issued a red corner notice against Nijjar, but Canada refused to act on that too. There are reports that Nijjar was in touch with Canadian intelligence before the murder.
