A Canadian official revealed that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah allegedly ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation, and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists within Canada. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed Shah's name to The Washington Post, stating that Canada had credible evidence of Indian government involvement in the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
Canadian authorities have shared evidence with Indian officials, who have denied the allegations. Canada recently expelled the Indian high commissioner and five diplomats, accusing them of coercion and violence related to the campaign for an independent Sikh state known as Khalistan.
Notably, the United States Justice Department also announced charges against an Indian government employee for an alleged foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader in New York City. Trudeau's national security adviser mentioned evidence of Indian government gathering information on Indian nationals and Canadian citizens in Canada through diplomatic channels and proxies, linking it to a criminal network affiliated with Lawrence Bishnoi.
Despite efforts to work with India on accountability measures, Canada went public with the allegations after it became clear that cooperation was unlikely. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police cited threats to public safety as the reason for disclosing ongoing investigations. In response, the Indian government expelled six Canadian diplomats.
The murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent figure in the movement for an independent Sikh homeland, remains a focal point of the investigations. Four Indian nationals living in Canada have been charged with his murder and are awaiting trial.
Witnesses at the committee included officials from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada's spy service, shedding light on the complex dynamics between the two countries in this ongoing saga.
