Demonstrators holding flags and signs protest outside India’s consulate, a week after Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the prospect of New Delhi’s involvement in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on September 25, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The United States has said there ought to be a full and fair investigation into Canada’s allegations that the Indian government was involved in the killing of a separatist Sikh leader in British Columbia earlier this year.

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said this at a news conference on Tuesday.

Also Read | Canada’s Nijjar case probe must proceed, perpetrators brought to justice: U.S.

“They are such concerning allegations that we think there ought to be a full and fair investigation,” Mr. Miller said, adding, “Canada has said it is committed to doing that, and we believe the Indian government should cooperate with it.”

The official was responding to a question on a row between Canada and India after the conclusion of the G-20 Summit in New Delhi.

Also Read | Canada updates travel advisory; asks its citizens in India to ‘stay vigilant and exercise caution’

Canada has accused India of being involved in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. India has termed the allegations “baseless” and said Canada has become a safe haven for terrorists.

“We are obviously quite concerned about the situation in Canada. We have cooperated closely with our Canadian counterparts, and we have urged India to cooperate in that investigation and we’ll continue to do so,” Mr. Miller said.

India remains an important partner of the United States, the official added.

Chandra Arya. File
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Amid a diplomatic row between India and Canada, an Indo-Canadian lawmaker from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s party has expressed dismay at the “glorification of terrorism” and hate crime targeting Hindus in this country in the name of “freedom of expression”.

The sharp reaction from Chandra Arya, who represents the riding of Nepean in the House of Commons of Canada, came as extremist elements backed by a leader of the Khalistan movement openly asked Hindu Canadians to go back to India.

“A few days back Khalistan movement leader in Canada and the president of Sikhs for Justice which organises the so-called referendum Gurpatwant Singh Pannun attacked Hindu Canadians asking us to leave Canada and go back to India,” Chandra Arya, a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, said.

“I have heard from many Hindu-Canadians who are fearful after this targeted attack. I urge Hindu-Canadians to stay calm but vigilant. Please report any incident of Hinduphobia to your local law enforcement agencies,” the Indo-Canadian MP posted on X.

“The Khalistan movement leader is trying to provoke Hindu Canadians to react and divide the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada,” Mr. Arya said.

His remarks came after Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations of “potential” involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June in Surrey unleashed a diplomatic row between the two nations.

India has rejected the charges as “absurd” and “motivated” and kicked out a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official.

“Let me be clear. The vast majority of our Canadian Sikh brothers and sisters do not support the Khalistan movement. Most Sikh Canadians may not publicly condemn the Khalistan movement for several reasons, but they are deeply connected to the Hindu-Canadian community. Canadian Hindus and Sikhs are connected through family relationships and shared social and cultural ties,” Mr. Arya said.

“This direct attack on Hindu Canadians by the leader of the Canadian Khalistan movement is a further escalation of the recent attacks on Hindu temples and public celebration of the assassination of Hindu Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by terrorists,” he added.

“Canada has high moral values and we fully uphold the rule of law. I can’t understand how glorification of terrorism or a hate crime targeting a religious group is allowed in the name of freedom of speech and expression,” Mr. Arya said.

“There would be outrage in Canada if a white supremacist attacked any group of racialised Canadians asking them to get out of our country. But apparently, this Khalistani leader can get away with this hate crime,” he said.

“Hindu Canadians keep a low profile and are considered soft targets. The anti-Hindu elements cannot digest the success of Hindu Canadians,” Mr. Arya said.

“Two well-organised groups claiming to represent their faiths have been attacking Hindu-Canadian community leaders, Hindu organisations and even me. For more than ten months, I have been attacked for raising a flag with our Hindu religious sacred symbol Aum on our Parliament Hill,” Mr. Arya alleged.

“I again call upon Hindu Canadians to stay calm but vigilant. As Canadians, we can be proud of our Hindu faith and heritage and our impressive contribution to the socio-economic success of our country Canada,” he added.

New Delhi:

In its first reaction to the controversy over Canada’s allegation that Indian officials played a role in the killing of a Khalistani terrorist, Australia has called the reports “concerning” and said it has raised the issue with its “Indian counterparts”.

Australia is a member of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, grouping with India, Japan and the United States. It is also part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance with Canada, the US, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Speaking in the Canadian parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said his government had “credible allegations” linking the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June with the “agents of the Government of India”. The next day, Mr Trudeau said he was not looking to “provoke” India or “escalate” tension, but wanted New Delhi to treat Nijjar’s killing with “utmost seriousness”.

The Indian government has rejected the allegation as “absurd and motivated”.

Responding to a question from a reporter on Mr Trudeau’s claim, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, “Look, these are concerning reports, and I note that investigations are still underway, but obviously these are concerning reports and we are monitoring these developments closely with our partners, and we’ll continue to do so… We have, Australia has raised these issues with our Indian counterparts, as you would expect us to do.

On whether Australia was planning to raise the issue with Japan, since it is a member of the Quad, Ms Wong said while she can’t give a commentary on what is raised and what will be raised, the country’s principal position is that it believes the sovereignty of all countries and the rule of law should be respected.

Asked if she had concerns about foreign interference from India in Australia, the minister said, “I think Australia is a robust democracy, and I think the Indian diaspora has a range of views, and you know, we have made clear in relation to democratic debate in Australia that the peaceful expression of different views is a key part of Australia’s democracy, and I think most Australians would agree with that.”

Probed for specifics on how Canberra had shared its concerns with New Delhi and the information, if any, that had been shared by Canada, Ms Wong refused to go into details. “I would just say to you that we have been monitoring these developments with partners closely, we will continue to do so, and I will confirm that we have raised our concerns with India. I’m not going to go into any further detail on that.”

She also refused to divulge details on whether the subject was brought up privately at the G20 Summit in New Delhi earlier this month. 

To a question on Sikh Indians being “at risk” in Australia, Ms Wong said, “Well, I’d note that these allegations are still being investigated, so I would recognise that fact, but more broadly I would say this: we take the view as a government that Australian democracy is precious, that as a matter of principle, and as a matter of law, Australians of whatever persuasion have a right to peaceful protest.”

“And, in all circumstances, we reflect that right in our public statements and in our private conversations with other governments. You would also know we have, as a Parliament, made very clear statements, both legislatively and as a matter of policy, about the importance of Australian democracy being unaffected by external concerns,” she added.

Canada has expelled a senior Indian diplomat, who, it claims, is the head of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the country. India, on Tuesday, asked a senior Canadian diplomat to leave the country within five days. 

In a strong denial of Mr Trudeau’s allegations, India’s External Affairs Ministry had said, “Allegations of the Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated. Similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister, and were completely rejected.” 

According to a report in The Washington Post, weeks before making the allegations, Canadian officials had sought public condemnation of Nijjar’s killing from their allies, including the United States, but were met with reluctance.