BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada:Sikh activists commemorated the anniversary of the assassination of British Columbia temple leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar by staging a mock murder trial for Indian President Narendra Modi. The event, organized by the activist group Sikhs for Justice, took place outside the Indian consulate in downtown Vancouver.
On a police-cordoned section of Howe Street, actors portrayed a jury and a judge in a white wig. The mock trial began with an effigy of Modi, dressed in prison stripes, paraded in a makeshift cage. Jatinder Singh, a lawyer and director with Sikhs for Justice, addressed the crowd, asserting that Nijjar was “executed,” and quoted Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He highlighted that the crime was against a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, but the conspiracy was orchestrated in India.
Nijjar, a prominent organizer for an overseas referendum on an independent Sikh state in India, was shot dead in the parking lot of the Surrey temple where he served as president on June 18, 2022. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later informed Parliament of credible intelligence linking Nijjar’s death to the Indian government, which strained relations between Canada and India. Four Indian nationals—Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh—are accused of Nijjar’s murder and conspiracy.
Jatinder Singh stated that the mock trial served as a demonstration that Modi was responsible for Nijjar’s killing, dubbing the event a “people’s court” and a “voice for the voiceless.” He presented news reports and a CBC documentary as evidence. Singh also highlighted the risk faced by those advocating for Khalistan, the movement for an independent Sikh homeland, stating that it is their duty to continue fighting to protect future generations.
Ranjit Singh, a participant in the mock trial, emphasized his longstanding commitment to the Khalistan movement and his determination to continue advocating for Sikh rights despite the risks. Similarly, New York-based activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun noted that Nijjar’s death had vindicated claims of India targeting overseas separatists. He mentioned that the movement would persist, with the next non-binding referendum on Khalistan independence scheduled for July 28 in Calgary.
India has denied any involvement in Nijjar’s assassination, maintaining that it does not engage in extrajudicial killings abroad. The four men accused in Nijjar’s murder are scheduled to appear in court in Surrey on June 25.
