THE World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) on Thursday strongly condemned recent attempts by Indian sources to target Canada with disinformation. Most recently, it has been widely disseminated on virtually all Indian media platforms that the four Indian nationals charged in the June 18, 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, were granted bail due to lack of evidence.
“It has now been confirmed that these reports are completely false. The purpose of this widespread disinformation campaign is to create confusion and distrust in the Canadian government and legal system and ultimately showcases a calculated effort to mislead, manipulate, and undermine trust in Canadian institutions,” the WSO said.
It noted: “The origin of the false rumour alleging the Indian nationals charged in the Nijjar assassination have been released appears to be a Canadian X account that has regularly amplified false Indian narratives, particularly those targeting the Sikh community. Indian media outlets, notorious for their role in spreading disinformation against Sikh communities, quickly picked up the tweet without fact-checking or inquiring with Canadian courts or law enforcement if it was true.”
The WSO said: “Prominent outlets, including India Today, Hindustan Times, ABP News, and others, irresponsibly presented the disinformation as fact. These platforms framed the false story as a significant embarrassment for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and misleadingly suggested that there is no evidence of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s assassination.”
It added: “Adding to the disinformation loop, certain Canadian commentators, known for engaging with Indian disinfo, appeared on Indian media platforms, often amplified by Indian bot networks, to validate and reinforce the false narrative. This created a feedback mechanism that further entrenched the misinformation. Indian social media channels weaponized the story to allege that Canada fabricated accusations against India, aiming to undermine the credibility of Canada’s investigation and delegitimize Sikh activism in the country.”
The WSO said: “India has been described as a hub for global disinformation and Indian disinformation has specifically targeted and maligned Sikhs in Canada. The Government of India uses vast social media and pro-BJP news media networks to promote Indian disinformation targeting Canadian politicians and others. Rapid Response Mechanism Canada (“RRM”) identified 34 Indian websites that consistently published stories critical of Canada.
“Indian disinformation tactics have repeatedly been used to delegitimize Sikh voices and activism, framing them as extremists while deflecting scrutiny from India’s role in transnational repression. Indian disinformation has also been identified during the Foreign Interference Commission as having spread disinformation during the past two Canadian federal elections.”
WSO President Danish Singh said: “India’s role in spreading disinformation targeting Canada and the Sikh community is both insidious and widespread. Completely false narratives are maliciously amplified without any verification in order to create confusion and distrust in Canada. We urge Canadian authorities to closely examine and investigate the Indian disinformation ecosystem active in Canada, including Canada-based proxies who actively amplify these false narratives.
“Sikhs have endured Indian disinformation campaigns for over four decades, paying a heavy price as a community. We call on Canadian media and the public to remain vigilant against these blatantly false attempts to distort the truth and undermine Canadian institutions. It is deeply ironic that India’s national motto, ‘Satyamev Jayate’ or ‘Truth Alone Triumphs,’ stands in stark contrast to its disinformation campaigns, where truth is often the first casualty.”
