Janice R. Andrews
Canada has intensified its allegations against India, now suggesting Home Minister Amit Shah was involved in plans targeting Sikh separatists within Canadian borders. This development follows Canada’s earlier claim of Indian involvement in Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death, a Canadian Sikh activist killed in British Columbia in 2023.
David Morrison, Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, acknowledged confirming Shah’s identity in response to media inquiries during testimony before the national security committee. National Security Adviser Nathalie Drouin provided additional testimony, claiming Indian officials gathered intelligence on Canadian citizens and allegedly collaborated with Lawrence Bishnoi’s criminal network.
Diplomatic relations have deteriorated since Canada first presented evidence linking India to Nijjar’s murder, which India consistently rejected. The situation worsened after Canada expelled several Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, over their alleged connection to Nijjar’s death.
The controversy extends beyond Nijjar, who advocated for Khalistan, an independent Sikh state. The United States has brought charges against a former Indian intelligence operative in a separate case involving an attempted assassination of a Sikh separatist in New York. These developments have placed India’s international operations under increased scrutiny, with both North American nations raising concerns about cross-border targeting of dissidents.
Despite Canada sharing evidence with Indian authorities regarding these allegations, they report facing resistance in their attempts to address these serious concerns.
