OTTAWA, Canada: Diplomatic tensions have surged in the wake of Canada’s announcement that it is examining “credible allegations potentially linking” the Indian state to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia. India vehemently denies these allegations, dismissing them as “absurd.” For those unfamiliar with this long-standing controversy, here’s an overview of the historical context and current developments:
Sikhism, founded in the 16th century in the Punjab region (now part of India and Pakistan), is one of the world’s major religions.
Globally, there are approximately 25 million Sikhs, constituting the fifth-largest faith group.
The majority of Sikhs reside in India, comprising around 2% of the country’s 1.4 billion population. However, significant Sikh diaspora communities exist worldwide.
Canada hosts the largest Sikh population outside India, with over 780,000 Sikh individuals, representing more than 2% of Canada’s population. The United States, the UK, and Australia also have substantial Sikh communities.
The Khalistan movement advocates for an independent homeland for Sikhs within India.
The movement reached its peak during the 1980s in the Indian state of Punjab, marked by a series of violent attacks and thousands of fatalities.
Indian armed forces conducted special operations against the movement. Nevertheless, supporters in the Sikh diaspora continue to advocate for a separate Sikh state, with calls for independence gaining momentum in recent years.
India has vehemently opposed the Khalistan movement, with all mainstream political parties, including those in Punjab, denouncing violence and separatism.
The Khalistan issue has historical significance and was linked to two controversial incidents in modern Indian history: the storming of the Golden Temple and the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In June 1984, the Indian military conducted a contentious operation to flush out militant separatists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, resulting in significant damage to the temple and numerous casualties.
A few months later, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards, sparking four days of rioting and communal violence in which thousands, mostly Sikhs, lost their lives. Estimates of the death toll vary from around 3,000 to as many as 17,000.
Khalistan remains a red line for India due to the fresh scars of the 1980s violence, and all political parties in India are united in their opposition to Sikh independence.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was fatally shot outside a Sikh temple in Canada on June 18, at the age of 45.
Born in Bharsinghpur village in Punjab’s Jalandhar, he migrated to Canada in 1997.
Initially, he worked as a plumber but later became a prominent Sikh leader in the western Canadian province of British Columbia.
India designated him a terrorist in 2020, alleging his ties to the Khalistan Tiger Force, a group advocating for an independent Khalistan in the Punjab region.
Nijjar’s supporters contended that these accusations were “unfounded” and cited threats he had faced in the past due to his activism.
Indian media reports suggest that he was working on organizing an unofficial referendum in India for an independent Sikh state at the time of his death.
Nijjar is the third prominent Sikh figure to have died unexpectedly in recent months.
The backdrop to the diplomatic tensions involves India’s increasing pressure on governments of countries with sizable Sikh populations, including Canada, Australia, and the UK.
India’s government has openly stated that failing to address what it labels as “Sikh extremism” would hinder good relations.
Australian officials have acknowledged incidents of vandalism of Hindu temples by pro-Khalistan activists but emphasized that they would not curtail Australian Sikhs’ expression of their views on an independent Sikh homeland.
Canada has faced the most criticism from Delhi for what India perceives as a failure to oppose the pro-Khalistan movement. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed a desire to stop violence while also pushing back against “foreign interference.”
In the UK context, tensions flared in March after protests outside the Indian High Commission in London, where demonstrators displayed “Khalistan” banners, and an individual removed the Indian flag from the building’s balcony.
This news underscores the deep-seated sensitivity of the Khalistan issue for India, the intricate dynamics within Sikh communities worldwide, and the diplomatic complexities faced by countries with substantial Sikh populations as they navigate the delicate balance between addressing their citizens’ concerns and maintaining bilateral relations with India.
