THE World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) in a statement on Tuesday condemned “India’s dangerous and baseless disinformation campaign against Sikhs in Canada, particularly targeting individuals like Sundeep “Sunny” Singh Sidhu, a respected CBSA [Canada Border Services Agency] employee, as reported by the CBC today.”

It added: “The false and dangerous allegations leveled against Mr. Sidhu by Indian government sources are a clear attempt to intimidate and harm Sikh Canadians, placing their lives at risk.”

The WSO said: “Sidhu, a CBSA officer for the past two decades, was accused by the Government of India and its media of murder and terrorism. Figures like Gaurav Arya, a former Indian military officer and pro-Modi influencer, have irresponsibly identified several Canadian Sikhs as “terrorists” and incited violence, even revealing Sidhu’s personal information to the public. Arya’s actions, coupled with India’s ongoing spread of disinformation, endanger the lives of Canadians and create false suspicions about individuals and communities.”   

The CBC report “Border agency clears employee after Indian media reports link him with terrorism” states: “On October 1, 2023, a co-worker told Sidhu that he had been named in a YouTube video posted by a former Indian army major named Gaurav Arya.”

It adds: “In a video purporting to list India’s enemies and fugitives living abroad, Arya identified Sidhu as a wanted terrorist involved in Sikh separatist militancy and shared his home address. The video remained on YouTube for several months but has since been removed.”

The CBC report says: “CBSA reassigned Sidhu away from his frontline job and launched an investigation. He said the agency brought in the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency to conduct two days of polygraph tests.

“”I have been through a year-long investigation where they’ve talked to my family, they’ve talked to my coworkers, they’ve gone through my financial statements, they’ve gone through my bank statements, my telephone records,” Sidhu said.”

CBC says: “Last month, almost a year after that initial video, Sidhu became the focus of news stories in Indian newspapers and television. He was the target of an avalanche of threats on social media.”

The CBC report also notes: “An Indian man living in Winnipeg, Sukhdool Singh, was named in one of Arya’s videos and then shot dead the following day. Arya subsequently posted on X about the death.

“Arya continues to take a strong interest in Canadian affairs. His videos harshly criticize Trudeau and promote Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as a superior leader who can restore relations with India.”

WSO President Danish Singh said: “The false accusations and Indian disinformation campaign against Mr. Sidhu are part of an ongoing effort by India to malign Sikhs in Canada and to create confusion and dread in our community.   India is consistently acting like a hostile and rogue country and continues to target Sikhs in Canada.  Our government must hold India accountable for its ongoing foreign interference activities and protect those whose lives are being put in danger. 

“Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar and others who have received duties to warn have not been provided with any meaningful way of protecting themselves.  That must change right away.  We urge Canadian authorities to provide heightened security for those at risk and to push back against foreign disinformation campaigns.”