VANCOUVER: Sikh activists gathered in significant numbers at Indian Consulates in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and San Francisco, demanding the expulsion of the Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma. Their protests aimed to express solidarity with Canada and denounce India’s remarks, which included mentions of extreme actions like a “surgical strike” or “nuking Canada” to target Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
These demonstrations were staged to protest the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, leader of Khalistan Referendum’s Canada, who was allegedly assassinated by Indian state agents. Protestors held placards calling for justice for Nijjar, the establishment of Khalistan, and the expulsion of Sanjay Kumar Verma.
The protestors commended Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for openly addressing India’s state terrorism against Sikh activists. They argued that India’s actions challenged Canadian sovereignty by killing a Canadian Sikh national, and that the international community recognized Sikhs as victims of Indian terrorism.
Threatening calls to “nuke” and “eliminate” were made against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun within the Indian Parliament and media supported by Narendra Modi’s administration.
During a debate on Republic Bharat, a nationalist TV channel, Rajiv Arora, an Indo-Canadian Hindu who runs a Nationwide Immigration Consulting Firm in Canada and India, participated approvingly in a live debate where calls for “Nuking Canada” were made, and PM Trudeau was labeled a terrorist for holding Indian agents responsible for Nijjar’s assassination on Canadian soil.
On the floor of the Indian Parliament, MP Ravneent Bittu condoned India’s assassination of Nijjar and called for another “surgical strike” in Canada to eliminate SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
In response, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun stated that Indo-Canadian Hindus like Rajiv Arora supporting acts of terrorism against Canada pose a national responsibility for Canada’s NDP and Conservative leaders. He expressed concern that the Modi government in India has become a global threat due to its alleged involvement in acts of terrorism in Canada, including Nijjar’s assassination.
Pannun called on Canadians to safeguard their sovereignty, given India’s challenge to it. He highlighted the pro-Khalistan Sikhs’ historical dedication to protecting their homeland and their commitment to protecting Canada.
Sikh Leader Properties Seized in Punjab
Pannun also referenced Ravneet Singh Bittu’s parliamentary speech, which supported a surgical strike in Canada and admitted responsibility for Nijjar’s assassination. He called on Canadian political parties, including the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Conservative Party of Canada, to respond to this situation.
In reaction, India has seized Pannun’s ancestral properties in Punjab.
SFJ, in collaboration with the Punjab Referendum Commission, an independent panel overseeing the Khalistan Referendum, announced Khalistan Referendum-II Voting in Surrey, BC, on October 29th, allowing those who couldn’t vote on September 10th to participate. The voting in Surrey is dedicated to the late Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
This ongoing saga underscores the complex dynamics surrounding the Sikh diaspora, the Khalistan movement, and India’s response to alleged separatist activities on foreign soil.
