Born on October 11, 1977, Canadian activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, accused of terrorist activities by the Indian government has strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accusing the Indian government of responsibility for Nijjar’s killing. Nijjar met his demise on June 18, outside a Gurudwara in Surrey, Canada.
The Canadian government accused India of interference in its sovereignty, leading to a confrontation that saw Trudeau discussing the matter with Prime Minister Modi during the G20 summit.
Following these events, there were expulsions and summonses between the two nations, with the Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister expelling the head of Indian intelligence in Canada. This led to backlash from Indian officials, who deemed the actions as baseless and motivated.
The fallout included a pause in the free trade agreement and strained diplomatic relations. Understanding Nijjar’s background, Canada’s small Sikh population, Trudeau’s assertive response, and the debate surrounding his death is crucial to comprehend the complexity of this issue.
Who is Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent figure in the Canadian political landscape, arrived in Canada in 1997 under the alias Ravi Sharma. He sought refugee status due to his association with a social group linked to Sikh militants.
His troubles began in 1990 when the Punjab police initiated a crackdown, leading to increased violence in Punjab during the 1980s. This led many youths to join terrorist organizations, leading to Hardeep’s escape to Canada using a fake passport.
Nijjar claimed that Indian police repeatedly arrested his father and brother, alleging torture and physical abuse. He escaped by paying a bribe of Rs 50,000 and seeking sanctuary at a relative’s residence. However, Canadian refugee officials doubted the credibility of his account, leading to the rejection of his application.
Despite these setbacks, Hardeep eventually obtained Canadian citizenship. Canada’s Minister of Immigration asserted that he became a citizen in 2015, while another claim suggested his citizenship dated back to 2007. The manner in which he acquired citizenship remains unclear, with Canada declining to comment on Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship due to privacy legislation.
Nijjar became actively involved in pro-Khalistani activities within Canada, aligning himself with Babbar Khalsa International (‘BKI’), an organization founded in 1981 under the leadership of Talwinder Singh Parmar.
BKI pursues the creation of Khalistan through armed attacks, assassinations, and bombings. The group’s reach extends across Pakistan, North America, Europe, and Scandinavia.
During the 1980s, BKI orchestrated numerous terrorist attacks, including the devastating Air India Flight 182 bombing in June 1985. This tragic incident was not an isolated event, as a bomb exploded mid-air near Ireland in Air India flight Kanishka, resulting in the deaths of 329 passengers and crew members.
However, during the 1990s, BKI experienced a decline in its influence due to the assassination of several senior leaders. Following his affiliation with BKI, Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s name surfaced publicly in connection with the 2007 Ludhiana Bomb Blast case.
The blast occurred at Shingaar Cinema, a single-screen movie theatre in Ludhiana, showcasing a Bhojpuri film on October 14, 2007, which coincided with Eid. Police authorities revealed that the bomb was planted in the theatre’s third row, primarily affecting poor migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh.
Law enforcement officials arrested four BKI militants linked to the incident, but the Ludhiana court acquitted three of the accused due to insufficient evidence, while the fourth accused died in custody. Subsequently, investigative agencies implicated Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the case.
In 2010, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take action against Khalistani elements in Canada, specifically mentioning Hardeep’s association with the BKI Group.
In 2011, Hardeep joined the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), an offshoot of BKI, identified as a terrorist organization by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The KTF’s founder, Jagtar Singh Tara, was convicted for the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
In November 2014, an Interpol notice was issued against Hardeep, identifying him as the mastermind behind the Khalistan Tiger Force. More serious allegations emerged in 2016, with Punjab’s intelligence officials apprehending Mandeep Singh from Nawanshahr, Punjab, affiliated with BKI. Investigations revealed Mandeep’s communications with Gajinder Singh, the leader of Dal Khalsa International in Pakistan, and Hardeep.
Punjab officials allege that Hardeep Singh Nijjar provided arms training to Mandeep and three others in Canada, conducting daily shooting sessions at a Mission City shooting range. Punjab police notified both the Indian and Canadian governments, claiming Hardeep orchestrated sending Mandeep to India to target police officers and Shiv Sena political leaders. Canadian authorities refrained from commenting, while Hardeep denied involvement in violent activities and claimed advocacy efforts at Geneva and the UN headquarters for Punjab’s independence referendum.
In 2018, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probed Hardeep for the murder of RSS leaders in Punjab, filing two FIRs against him. Canadian officials took notice, and during Justin Trudeau’s 2018 visit to India, Captain Amarinder Singh presented Trudeau with a list of five wanted terrorists, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
By 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs officially designated Hardeep as a terrorist. Subsequent events linked Hardeep to the attack on Hindu priest Kamaldeep Sharma in January 2021, leading to the arrest of two individuals allegedly following Hardeep’s directives. Punjab Police’s extradition attempt in 2022 failed, but on June 18, 2023, the situation took a turn.
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Who Killed Nijjar?
The Royal Canadian Police discovered a shooting incident outside a Gurudwara, resulting in the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Two theories have emerged regarding the murder, with one proposed by Justin Trudeau, who highlighted the deaths of three individuals linked to the Khalistani movement within 45 days.
The Canadian police deemed the incident a targeted attack but refrained from disclosing specific details. Another theory emerged, posited by Canadian journalist Terry Glavin, suggesting that a Khalistani member might have been behind Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder.
Glavin highlighted ongoing back-channel discussions between the Modi government and Khalistani factions, mediated by British Sikh activist Jasdev Singh Rai. The Indian government offered certain individuals removal from the terror blacklist and restoration of their Indian visas if they ceased violent activities. However, not all Khalistani members were amenable to these talks.
Ripudman Singh Malik, implicated in the 1985 Air India blast, supported these talks and praised the Modi government, but Hardeep held an opposing stance, rejecting the negotiations.
Malik passed away in July, 2022 under violent circumstances, prompting speculation regarding his camp’s involvement in Hardeep’s murder. These speculations lack concrete evidence, existing solely as theories.
The question surfacing regarding India’s potential capability to eliminate Hardeep in Canada is affirmative, with numerous instances substantiating this possibility. Operation Hornet, an operation aiming to assassinate Abdul Khan, was devised by RAW due to suspicions of Abdul Khan’s support for various terrorists in Europe.
Avinash Paliwal, a security expert and lecturer at the University of London specializing in Afghanistan, asserts India’s capability to execute operations such as the potential elimination of Hardeep.
Frustration between India and Canada stems from various unresolved issues, such as the Indian Consulate’s 15 August celebrations in Vancouver and Khalistani protestors removing the Indian flag from the High Commission in London in March 2023. This longstanding frustration dates back 40 years to the tragic bombing of Air India – 182 in 1985.
Why is India angry?
In October 1992, six individuals boarded two Maruti cars with fake license plates in Kang Araiyan village, Punjab, India. The police encountered the vehicles equipped with rocket launchers, AK-47s, grenades, and an arsenal of weapons.
In the ensuing confrontation, the police fired and killed all six individuals, two of whom held Pakistani passports linked to Pakistan’s ISI. One of the six was Talwinder Singh Parmar, a Canadian citizen held responsible for the 1985 Air India bombing.
The Canadian government’s leniency toward terrorism has been perceived by both Indian and Canadian citizens. The 1985 Air India bombing is Canada’s most significant mass murder, claiming the lives of over 250 Canadian citizens. However, the investigation into this attack faced severe scrutiny.
A 2010 report revealed that the Canadian Secret Service had obliterated telephone call tapes involving terrorists, which was denounced as unacceptable by a judge in 2005. Another Canadian report highlighted that the trial spanned 20 years and incurred a cost of $130 million, yet failed to secure any convictions.
Further revelations emerged in 2000 when a former Secret Service officer destroyed 150 hours of tapes due to fears over revealing the informant’s identity. The investigation reached its conclusion 25 years later, affirming Talwinder Singh Parmar’s involvement.
Canadian Minister Jagmeet Singh initially believed the bomb blast was an Indian government conspiracy but eventually acknowledged Parmar’s responsibility in 2018.
Recent revelations indicate that security personnel involved in counter-terrorism initiatives are encountering difficulties obtaining visas to Canada.
This frustration between India and Canada is not a recent occurrence or solely due to actions by the Modi government but has been mounting over an extended period. Even Canadians themselves acknowledge a terrorism problem in their country.
In 1998, the head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service acknowledged that numerous international terrorist organizations were active within Canada, including Sunni and Shia Islamic terrorist groups and Sikh extremist organizations. There was concern about Canada inadvertently becoming an unofficial state sponsor of terrorism.
An October 2003 report outlined that many terrorists believed they could easily find refuge, financial support, and materials in Canada due to lenient immigration laws.
Conclusion on India and Canada
Justin Trudeau’s actions regarding the removal of Sikh MPs in Canada are a topic of debate. Despite Sikhs comprising only 2% of Canada’s population, 5% of MPs in Parliament are Sikhs. Trudeau’s actions are questioned due to his political calculus.
Canada shared this information with other members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which prefer not to make public statements and suggested addressing the Indian government directly during the G20 Summit. Diplomatic experts argue that morality holds no place in diplomacy, operating under the principle of might is right.
In diplomatic circles , moral rhetoric often contrasts with countries’ realpolitik interests. Decisions are influenced by whether a particular action benefits them or not. If aggression escalates, Canada might adopt a media drip strategy, similar to Turkey’s approach with the Khashoggi case.
Speculations arise about potential leaks involving Indian diplomats, but it is unlikely Canada will publicly present all evidence due to risks of revealing intelligence collection methods to other nations.
Many Canadians might overemphasize Khalistan’s importance for Punjab, as recent events like the arrest of Amritpal Singh have not garnered much attention in Punjab. In domestic politics, unanimity prevails, with even Congress expressing support for the government. Hence, Khalistan has always remained a topic of diplomatic debate between India and Canada but did not reach the local level.
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Authored by Himadri Adhikari, a 1st year Law Student at National Law University Odisha.