Canada accuses Indian government of murder and expels its diplomats
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
On Monday, Canada accused the Indian government of murder and extortion aimed at silencing critics of India residing in Canada. The conflict began last year with the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, according to The New York Times.
Canada expelled India's top diplomat and five others, stating they were part of a larger criminal network. India responded in kind, expelling six Canadian diplomats.
The two countries are embroiled in a tense dispute following the killing of prominent Sikh cleric Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government stated at the time that the Indian government organized his assassination.
Canada is home to the largest Sikh community outside India, where the religious minority predominantly resides in the northwestern state of Punjab. The Indian government claims that some Sikhs in Canada actively participate in a separatist movement seeking to create a Sikh homeland known as Khalistan.
Canadian authorities stated that their investigation focused on the involvement of the Indian government in a campaign against Canadian Sikh activists.
Who was the leader of Canadian Sikhs
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a leader of Sikh separatists who publicly advocated for Khalistan — the establishment of an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region of India.
In the 1970s, Sikhs initiated a separatist uprising in India that resulted in thousands of deaths before it was suppressed in the following decade. Since then, the movement has largely been confined to countries with large Sikh populations.
India had previously described Nijjar as a terrorist who led a militant separatist group. His supporters consider the accusations unfounded. Nijjar reportedly received threats due to his activism.
People close to him say that before his death, Canadian intelligence warned him that he was on a hit list and that his life was in danger.
It is worth noting that in early May, three Indian nationals were arrested on charges of murdering the Sikh separatist leader in Canada, which sparked a significant diplomatic conflict between the two countries.
