SURREY, British Columbia: Balraj Singh Nijjar, the son of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh leader killed earlier this year, has expressed a sense of relief after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in his father’s fatal shooting.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed on June 18, shortly after evening prayers at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
Trudeau made the accusation in the House of Commons, citing intelligence reports that found credible links between Indian government agents and the killing, although no one has been charged as of yet. The Indian government had previously offered a reward for Hardeep’s arrest, accusing him of leading a violent separatist movement for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan, a charge his supporters deny.
Balraj Singh Nijjar, speaking publicly for the first time since his father’s death, stated that the family and close friends had always suspected Indian government involvement in the killing. He expressed relief that the truth was finally coming to light and thanked Trudeau, as well as federal Conservative leader Pierre Polievre and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, for their condemnation of the killing. Balraj also urged the leaders to take further steps, such as imposing sanctions on specific individuals if necessary.
India’s ministry of external affairs has rejected Trudeau’s allegations, calling them “absurd.” Balraj emphasized that his father’s killing was not just the murder of a random Sikh man but of a temple president who was shot outside his own place of worship. He called foreign interference a very serious matter and expressed hope that authorities would take it into consideration.
The investigation into the killing remains a priority, according to IHIT Sgt. Timothy Pierotti, who stated that investigators are working closely with various law enforcement agencies to advance the case.
