On Monday, 14th October, India and Canada came face-to-face after Canada levelled serious allegations against India, accusing it of being linked to “criminal activities” in Canada including the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) issued a statement during a press conference on Monday accusing India of involvement in criminal activities in Canada. The RCMP said in the statement that due to the considerable threat posed to public safety, it had taken the unusual step of publicly disclosing information on the ongoing investigation.
The RCMP inadvertently admitted that Canada has become a safe haven for pro-Khalistan elements when they clarified that India’s actions are not targeting Sikhs as a whole, but specifically focusing on pro-Khalistani individuals. By acknowledging this, Canada inadvertently exposes the influence of Khalistani elements within its borders, while India continues to uphold its stance against terrorism, not a community.
The RCMP provide a statement on violent criminal activity occurring in Canada with connections to agents of the Government of India: https://t.co/nEXPSPJKPu pic.twitter.com/0FB5e1oT9L
— RCMP (@rcmpgrcpolice) October 14, 2024
The RCMP claimed to have discovered a series of violent threats targeting the South Asian community in Canada, specifically those linked to the pro-Khalistani movement. These threats include homicides and extortions and have persisted despite the efforts of Canadian law enforcement agencies. The RCMP said it created a multidisciplinary team in February 2024 to investigate the criminal activities “orchestrated” by agents of the Indian government on Canadian soil.
The agency claimed to have uncovered “direct links” between Indian diplomats in Canada and violent acts, including homicides. The RCMP claimed that these diplomats used their official positions to engage in clandestine activities, collecting intelligence on South Asian Canadians to target them through criminal proxies. The intelligence, according to the RCMP, was gathered through coercion, with some Canadian individuals and businesses threatened into cooperating with the Indian agents.
The RCMP claimed that the agency and Canadian officials attempted to collaborate with Indian law enforcement agencies to address these concerns, but India refused to do so. The Deputy Commissioner of Federal Policing, Mark Flynn, alongside Canadian national security officials, met with Indian representatives to present evidence of Indian agents’ involvement in these activities, but the meeting did not result in cooperation.
The RCMP identified four major issues related to India’s interference in Canada: violent extremism impacting both countries, Indian government links to criminal acts, the use of organised crime to create an unsafe environment for South Asians in Canada, and interference in Canada’s democratic processes.
Interestingly, the RCMP named the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as being behind the criminal activities and claimed that the Indian government had been using Bishnoi’s associates in Canada to target Khalistani terrorists. “It (India) is targeting South Asian community but they are specifically targeting pro-Khalistani elements in Canada…What we have seen is, from an RCMP perspective, they use organised crime elements. It has been publically attributed and claimed by one organised crime group in particular – Bishnoi Group…We believe that the group is connected to agents of the Government of India,” Brigitte Gauvin, Assistant Commissioner, Federal Policing, National Security, Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.
#WATCH | Ottawa, Ontario (Canada): "It (India) is targeting South Asian community but they are specifically targeting pro-Khalistani elements in Canada…What we have seen is, from an RCMP perspective, they use organised crime elements. It has been publically attributed and… pic.twitter.com/KYKQVSx7Ju
— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2024
Washington Post named Home Minister Amit Shah as one of the officials involved in criminal activities
The Washington Post has levelled shocking allegations against Home Minister of India, Amit Shah, accusing him of being involved in criminal activities in Canada. According to its report, Canadian officials have accused senior figures within the Government of India of orchestrating violence against Khalistani terrorists in Canada, including the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and other attacks on pro-Khalistani elements. The claims, according to the report, are backed by intercepted communications and newly gathered intelligence.
Responding to the allegations levelled by the investigative agencies, the Canadian government identified six Indian diplomats for their direct involvement in gathering intelligence on Khalistani terrorists. These diplomats, including the High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, were ordered to leave the country. In response, India also expelled six Canadian diplomats and asked them to leave by 20th October.
While Canada has accused India of obfuscating and personally attacking PM Trudeau on the matter, India has responded by denying any involvement in the attacks. The Government of India has called the allegations part of a political agenda by PM Trudeau.
According to the report, the RCMP uncovered evidence linking Indian diplomats to home invasions, shootings, and additional killings in Canada. Canadian officials claim that the intelligence collected by Indian diplomats was passed on to India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), which used criminal syndicates to carry out attacks on separatist figures.
The report also named Home Minister Amit Shah as one of the senior officials involved in the attacks. According to WaPo, a secret meeting between Canadian and Indian officials in Singapore sought to address the rising tensions, but India denied any involvement in the attacks. WaPo claimed that during the meeting, India’s National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, acknowledged surveillance activities by Indian diplomats but rejected any connections to violence.
Justin Trudeau blames India
In a statement issued by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the “ongoing investigation” into India’s involvement in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, he claimed that Canadian investigative agencies have found credible evidence that the Indian government was involved in criminal activities in Canada. Earlier, in a statement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) claimed that the Indian government used gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang to target Khalistani terrorists in Canada.
My statement on the evidence brought forward by the RCMP against agents of the Government of India:https://t.co/kC6ZXzXXsG
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 15, 2024
In his statement, Trudeau claimed that the investigation by Canadian law enforcement agencies and intelligence services uncovered “credible allegations” that Indian government agents played a direct role in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He said that Canadian authorities have shared the information with the Indian government and requested cooperation to bring clarity to the matter.
He further stated that the RCMP has presented compelling evidence linking Indian agents to clandestine information gathering and coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians, particularly Sikhs who are pro-Khalistani. The RCMP has claimed that India has been involved in over a dozen violent acts, including murder, on Canadian soil. He claimed that Canadian officials attempted to collaborate with Indian law enforcement agencies but met with repeated refusals.
#WATCH | Ottawa: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says, "As the RCMP commissioner stated earlier they have clear and compelling evidence that agents of the Government of India have engaged in and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety. This… pic.twitter.com/GslZkaFBRP
— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2024
He added that, in light of the continued refusal to cooperate by Indian authorities, Canada has taken further action by expelling six Indian diplomats implicated in these activities. Trudeau added that Canada would not tolerate the involvement of a foreign government in threatening or killing Canadian citizens. He called on India to cooperate with the investigation and emphasised that Canada respects India’s sovereignty and expects the same in return.
India expelled six Canadian diplomats
Responding to the allegations levelled by Canadian government, India expelled six Canadian diplomats. A statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs stated that six Canadian diplomats, namely Mr Stewart Ross Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner, Mr Patrick Hebert, Deputy High Commissioner, Ms Marie Catherine Joly, First Secretary, Mr Ian Ross David Trites, First Secretary, Mr Adam James Chuipka, First Secretary, and Ms Paula Orjuela, First Secretary, have been asked to leave India before 11:59 PM on Saturday, October 19, 2024.
The development came after Canada asked 6 Indian diplomats to leave the country. This move from Justin Trudeau’s government came in response to India recalling its High Commissioner from Canada over the Trudeau government’s blatant support of Khalistani terrorists and Trudeau blaming India without any proof for Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar’s death. Notably, it has been over a year since Justin Trudeau blamed India for the death of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but has failed to provide any proof to support his accusations in all these months.
Earlier, India, having had enough of Justin Trudeau’s shenanigans, and after this blatant targeting of Indian diplomats by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, India decided to withdraw its Indian High Commissioner from Canada. India also hit out at the “preposterous” allegations by Canada, terming them a “strategy of smearing India for political gains”, since everyone knows that Justin Trudeau is targeting India to get the votes of Khalistanis during the next elections in Canada.
Furthermore, India has recalled its High Commissioner from Canada over Trudeau government’s blatant support of Khalistani terrorists and Trudeau blaming India without any proof for Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar’s death. After which, Canada asked 6 Indian diplomats to leave the country.
