Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ignited a diplomatic crisis by accusing the Indian government of involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canada-based Sikh leader, in suburban Vancouver in June 2023. Trudeau’s allegations are based on supposed intelligence that Canada has not disclosed. This controversy comes amid Trudeau’s declining popularity and a cool reception at the G20 Summit.
Following Trudeau’s remarks, both Canada and India expelled senior diplomats from each other’s embassies. Canada has reportedly sought support from the United States in this dispute, although the Biden administration denies rejecting Canada’s request and seems cautious about antagonizing India.
There are several factors that warrant caution in immediately supporting Trudeau’s claims. Firstly, the nature of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s background is complex. While Canadians may portray him as a plumber with political activism on the side, his history is more intricate.
Nijjar resided in India for two decades, during which he joined the Khalistan Tiger Force, a separatist group engaged in an insurgency in Punjab, a state in India with a population similar to that of Florida.
The Khalistan movement advocates for a separate Sikh state, often resorting to violence since the majority of Sikhs reject such religious nationalism. In 1997, Nijjar allegedly fled to Canada using a fake passport under the alias Ravi Sharma. Although he was arrested by police at the Toronto airport, he sought asylum, citing alleged police harassment in India. While his asylum claim was initially rejected, he later obtained Canadian citizenship and a passport through marriage to a Canadian woman, despite suspicions that the marriage was fraudulent.
In 2015, Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) reportedly used Nijjar to establish a training camp for Khalistan militants near Mission, British Columbia. India accused Nijjar of involvement in various terrorist acts, including planning the 2007 bombing of a Ludhiana cinema, the 2009 murder of prominent Sikh politician Rulda Singh, a conspiracy to assassinate Hindu religious leader Kamaldeep Sharma in Jalandhar, involvement in a temple explosion in Patiala in 2010, and several assassinations.
Effectively, Canada knowingly harbored an individual suspected of being involved in numerous violent activities. India’s concern about Canada’s tolerance for Sikh extremism is justified, as Canada hosts not only the Khalistan Tiger Force but also the World Sikh Organization, Sikhs for Justice, and Babbar Khalsa International, all of which Indian officials claim promote violence or have links to foreign powers.
Canada would rightly be angered if a fringe group in Quebec resorted to assassinating politicians and bombing cinemas to pursue Quebec nationhood, and if these terrorists then found refuge in India. In such a hypothetical scenario, Canada’s rhetoric would differ significantly.
While the above scenario is hypothetical, Trudeau’s inconsistent response to violence during his tenure is real. For example, after the murder of Karima Baloch, a Pakistani human rights activist in Toronto, Canadian police led the investigation. Even when there were indications of Pakistani government involvement, Trudeau remained silent.
Additionally, Canada appears to attribute India with responsibility for what might be the result of intra-Sikh violence within its own borders. Nijjar’s murder could have been a reprisal for a previous killing. In July 2022, two gunmen killed Ripudaman Singh Malik, a prominent Sikh who had been accused, then acquitted, of the bombings of two Air India flights in Vancouver. Malik later held important positions, including president of a major credit union and chairman of two schools. He also managed the Satnam Religious Prachaar Society. Nijjar had protested the society’s unauthorized printing of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, a significant Sikh holy book. Just before Ripudaman’s murder, Nijjar led a group of Sikhs in seizing one of the society’s printing presses. The situation is undoubtedly complex.
Could Indian agents have been responsible for Nijjar’s murder? It’s a possibility, though it doesn’t appear to be the most likely scenario. After Saudi agents killed Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey provided evidence to substantiate its claims. Trudeau’s inability to do so suggests that he may have made hasty and politicized accusations.
In this context, Biden’s cautious approach is sensible. The US-India relationship is of paramount importance, and it should not be jeopardized for the sake of a Canadian politician who appears increasingly superficial and unserious. Trudeau’s accusations against India are likely another example of domestic rhetoric escalating into an international incident, as has occurred with American politicians in the past.
Trudeau’s broadside against India is likely driven by domestic political considerations, as Sikh activists hold influence in crucial swing districts ahead of an impending election. However, the U.S.-India relationship should not be compromised for short-term political gains, given its strategic significance.
