Canadian Sikh protests outdoors Indian mission off to a muted begin

A handful of members of a Canadian Sikh group gathered outdoors the Indian diplomatic mission in Toronto on Monday, every week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the prospect of New Delhi’s involvement within the homicide of a Sikh separatist chief in British Columbia.

The protests, that are additionally deliberate in Ottawa and Vancouver, are geared toward rising public consciousness about India’s alleged position within the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot lifeless outdoors a Sikh temple on June 18 in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a excessive Sikh inhabitants, one organizer advised Reuters.

Between 100 and 150 members had been anticipated to affix the protests, Jatinder Singh Grewal, a director of the group Sikh for Justice in Canada, mentioned, however solely a dozen folks had gathered in entrance of the Indian consulate in Toronto round midday when the demonstration was set to start.

Protesters started chanting “Khalistan live forever” within the Punjabi language.

Trudeau mentioned final week Canada was pursuing “credible allegations” that Indian authorities brokers might have been concerned in Nijjar’s homicide.

India swiftly denied any position within the killing and described the allegations as “absurd”. The accusations have sparked tit-for-tat retaliation from each international locations, with every nation expelling diplomats and New Delhi suspending visas for Canadians.

“We are asking Canada to expel the India ambassador, Grewal told Reuters on Sunday.

The Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, said concerned authorities have been informed of the protests.

“Ensuring safety of diplomatic premises and personnel is accountability of the host nation. I’ve no causes to doubt that such a dedication will stay unfulfilled,” Verma said in an email.

The Toronto Police Department said it was aware of the planned demonstrations on Monday but declined to disclose details of the security preparations or potential response to any violent situations that may arise during the protest.

Nijjar, who worked as a plumber, left the north Indian state of Punjab a quarter-century ago and became a Canadian citizen. He has supported the formation of an independent Sikh homeland, called Khalistantan, to be created out of Punjab. India designated Nijjar a “terrorist” in July 2020.

The Canadian government has amassed both human and signals intelligence in a months-long investigation into the Sikh separatist leader, CBC News reported last week, citing unidentified sources.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen told CTV News that “shared intelligence amongst Five Eyes companions” had knowledgeable Trudeau of the attainable involvement of Indian brokers within the homicide of a Canadian citizen in June.

Canada is residence to about 770,000 Sikhs — the very best inhabitants of Sikhs outdoors their residence state of Punjab — and the nation has been the location of many demonstrations which have irked India.

Sikhs make up simply 2% of India’s 1.4 billion inhabitants however they’re a majority in Punjab, a state of 30 million the place their faith was born 500 years in the past.

Published On:

Sep 25, 2023