While India stands accused of abetting violence, it argues Canada is too tolerant of extremism

OTTAWA — As Canada pushes back against an alleged campaign of violence aided by India diplomats, India’s government continues to complain that Canada is allowing violent Sikh extremists to shelter in this country.

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats last week accusing them of involvement in a campaign of violence here, mostly targeting members of the Sikh community. Canada has the largest population of Sikhs anywhere in the world outside of India, with more than 800,000 people.

Some Sikhs in India have previously pushed for their own state inside the country called Khalistan and many of the people India is accused of targeting are associated with that movement. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in the summer of 2023, was an organizer for a non-binding referendum on the creation of Khalistan.

Sikh terrorists were behind the bombing of Air India and former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. The assassination was a response to the Indian army’s assault on a Sikh temple in 1984 where militants were present.

The movement for an independent state has lost momentum in India, but current Prime Minister Narendra Modi has still made stamping out the Khalistan movement a priority

India, especially under Modi, has accused Canada of being too tolerant of Sikh separatists. This past May, the country’s external affairs department released a statement complaining about a parade where a float depicted the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

India’s foreign affairs department complained about that float and said it was an example of Canada’s unwillingness to take the issue seriously.

“We have repeatedly raised our strong concerns regarding the violent imagery being used by extremist elements in Canada against our political leadership,” the ministry’s official spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaiswal said in May.

“Celebration and glorification of violence should not be a part of any civilized society. Democratic countries which respect the rule of law should not allow intimidation by radical elements in the name of freedom of expression.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about the relationship with India last week at the foreign interference inquiry. He said Canada is prepared to work with India on issues of real violence, but the country’s commitment to freedom of speech means it can’t clamp down on parades or statements.

“We would work with them on any evidence or any concerns they have around terrorism or incitement to hate or anything that is patently unacceptable in Canada,” he said, while testifying at the inquiry.

He made clear that Canada doesn’t support the Khalistan movement and said he has made that clear to Indian officials as well.

“My position and Canada’s position is to defend the territorial integrity of India. One India is official Canadian policy and the fact that there are a number of people in Canada who advocate otherwise does not make it Canadian policy.”

Since the six diplomats were expelled, Indian officials have said they have 26 outstanding extradition requests with the Canadian government.

Canada’s justice department would not confirm or refute that number, arguing extradition requests are “confidential state to state communications.” But the department did confirm that since 2004 only three people have been extradited from Canada to India.

Neilesh Bose, an associate professor of history at the University of Victoria, said India has a long memory of a time when Sikh separatism was more prevalent.

“Though times are quite different now, India always remembers the era of militant Sikh separatism in the 1980s and associates any separatist claims or positions with violence and militancy, as a threat to Indian safety, security, and sovereign integrity,” he said.

He noted that many Khalistani activists living in Canada now had criminal records in India. He said in India, Sikh separatism is largely a spent force, but the idea remains strong in the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.

He said Canada could potentially mend relations if it were willing to condemn some of the anti-India, anti-Hindu sentiment that seems to show up in Canada.

“Canada would help mend relations a great deal by taking seriously any public act of violence, intimidation, or harassment by Khalistani activists, and condemning such acts publicly. Hindu temples in Canada have been defaced and defiled by Khalistani activists and Indian diplomats have been threatened and such acts have not been condemned by Canada,” he said.

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