WSO calls for full public inquiry into Nijjar’s murder and “transnational repression faced by Sikhs in Canada by India”

THE World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) has called for immediate action to fully examine and address what the Foreign Interference Commission in its final report termed India’s “increasingly aggressive and violent” transnational repression activities targeting Sikhs in Canada. It said that the Commission in its final report has confirmed that classified evidence establishes that agents of the Government of India are actively targeting Sikhs in Canada, engaging in violent crime, and working to suppress lawful advocacy for human rights and self-determination.

The WSO called on the Government of Canada to initiate a full public inquiry into the murder of Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was assassinated on June 18, 2023, in a parking lot of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara where he served as president, and “the transnational repression faced by Sikhs in Canada by India.”

WSO is a member of the “Sikh Coalition” which was granted party standing in the Foreign Interference Commission, along with the BC Gurdwaras Council and the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee.

The Commission’s report highlights India’s foreign interference in Canada:

  •  India’s role as the second-most active state actor engaging in electoral foreign interference in Canada, with its efforts focused on influencing Canadian policies to align with its own interests.
  •  Intelligence suggests that India provides illicit financial support to various Canadian politicians to secure the election of pro-Indian candidates or gain influence over candidates who take office.
  •  Classified evidence indicating India’s use of proxies and clandestine tactics to undermine support for Sikh advocacy, including through intimidation, extortion, surveillance, and disinformation campaigns.
  •  India uses disinformation as a key form of foreign interference against Canada, a tactic it is likely to use more often as India continues to develop its cyber capabilities. CSIS assesses that India will likely seek to promote a pro-India and anti-Khalistan narrative in Canada using cognitive warfare techniques
  •  Specific acknowledgment from the Commissioner that India’s transnational repression “primarily targets” members of the Sikh community and aims to “promote a pro-India and anti-Khalistan narrative.”
  •  Testimony from Canadian Sikhs detailing threats, physical violence, and extortion by agents of the Indian government, both in Canada and through their families in India.

The Commissioner emphasized that the scope of the Commission’s Terms of Reference did not allow for an in-depth study of transnational repression in Canada, noting that the report “likely only scratches the surface of this phenomenon.”

WSO President Danish Singh said: “These findings confirm what we have long known: India’s foreign interference and transnational repression efforts are not just a threat to Canadian Sikhs but to the very fabric of Canadian democracy and sovereignty. The Government of India’s targeted acts of violence, disinformation, and intimidation cannot be tolerated. Canada must continue to respond decisively to protect its citizens and uphold its values of justice and freedom.”

He added: “Given the Commission’s findings in its final report, and its acknowledgement that it has only scratched the surface when it comes to transnational repression, we believe that the Government of Canada must initiate a full public inquiry into the murder of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar and the transnational repression faced by Sikhs in Canada by India.”

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