The Government of India says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau鈥檚 claim is 鈥渁bsurd鈥� after he told the House of Commons on Monday (Sept. 18) there is 鈥渃redible鈥� intelligence linking Indian government agents to the June 18 fatal shooting of Surrey Sikh temple president Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45.
The slain Guru Nanak Gurdwara president, an ardent supporter of securing an independent Sikh nation in India called Khalistan, was killed in the parking lot of the temple, located in the 7000-block of Scott Road. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has yet to publicly identify a suspect or reply to the 狈辞飞-尝别补诲别谤鈥檚 request for comment on Trudeau鈥檚 revelation.
The Ministry of External Affairs for the Government of India has issued a statement saying 鈥渁llegations of Government of India鈥檚 involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated.
鈥淪imilar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister, and were completely rejected,鈥� it reads.
鈥淲e reject any attempts to connect Government of India to such developments. We urge the Government of Canada to take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-India elements operating from their soil.鈥�
Bhupinder Singh Hothi, general secretary of the Surrey gurdwara, said Tuesday that 鈥渋t was obvious that was going to come鈥� from India鈥檚 government. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to deny it, right. We expected that to come out.鈥�
He said there will be a 鈥減eaceful protest鈥� at the gurdwara next Monday, Sept. 25. On Tuesday two large billboard signs out front were being removed, related to a non-binding referendum vote held there on Sept. 10 in which Hothi said 134,800 Sikhs over eight hours registered their support for Khalistan.
鈥淲e鈥檙e taking that down because that was put up for the campaign. That referendum, that鈥檚 done, right. Wave two is coming on Oct. 29,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e actually taking all the signs down, even the signs on the street.鈥�
Meantime, the World Sikh Organization of Canada called for 鈥渋mmediate protection鈥� for Canadian Sikhs who 鈥渇ace a threat from India and its agents鈥� on the heels of Trudeau鈥檚 comments, the significance of which WSO president Tejinder Singh Sidhu said 鈥渃annot be understated for Sikhs.鈥�
鈥淭he Prime Minister of Canada has publicly said what Sikhs in Canada have known for decades 鈥� India actively targets Sikhs in Canada,鈥� Sidhu said. 鈥淚t should now be clear to all Canadians that the Government of India is a terrorist state that has brazenly engaged in extrajudicial killings not only on its own soil, but also on Canadian soil.鈥�
Sidhu demanded that 鈥淚ndia cannot be allowed to disregard the rule of law and the sovereignty of foreign states. The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and other Sikh activists were terrorist acts that must be condemned by the international community. Those responsible for these killings must be immediately brought to justice. India should honour its international obligations and cooperate with the Government of Canada in investigating these matters.鈥�
Jinny Sims, NDP MLA for Surrey-Panorama, said any kind of interference by an 鈥渙utside body on our sovereign country is unacceptable.
鈥淚鈥檓 against murder or killings of any kind, I鈥檓 against violence and people getting shot. People need to learn to start using words,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat I can tell you is we will have to let the feds and the RCMP do their job but I can tell you one thing, it doesn鈥檛 matter which country it is, it is totally unacceptable.鈥�
Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal MP for Surrey-Newton, said Canada is a 鈥渞ule of law鈥� country and protecting its citizens and defending its sovereignty is of paramount importance. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to make sure that we protect that.鈥�
Asked what kind of stick Canada has if Indian government agents were indeed involved in Nijjar鈥檚 murder, Dhaliwal said Trudeau has asked the Indian government to 鈥渄o every effort to cooperate with Canadian agencies.鈥�
鈥淚ndia might be a major power but when it comes to the protection of Canadian citizens we cannot leave any stone unturned. We will do everything possible to protect the Canadians and our sovereignty and that鈥檚 what we will continue to do.鈥�
鈥淚 know the community will be feeling very angry and frightened right now,鈥� Dhaliwal added. 鈥淚 think its good to make an appeal that we all remain calm and steadfast in our commitment and make sure that the rule of law brings the justice out, and that鈥檚 all I would like to say.鈥�
Premier David Eby said he too received a briefing from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) on the allegations.
鈥淚 am deeply disturbed and angered by this information. Canadians across the country must be safe from the interference of foreign governments, including being targeted for threats or physical harm, including murder,鈥� Eby said. 鈥淥ur democracy depends on it.鈥�
He said in light of the allegations his provincial government will 鈥渆nhance protection鈥� for British Columbians 鈥渁gainst the violence or threats of state actors.
鈥淚 call, yet again, on the federal government to share all relevant information related to any known ongoing foreign interference and transnational organized crime threats with our provincial authorities and our government, so we may act in co-ordination and protect those at risk.鈥�
As the investigation continues, he added, he asks 鈥渢hose who are rightly angry to support justice and accountability through our formal legal systems. It is what makes us strong and is what distinguishes us from those who would act illegally to advance their own ends through threats, assassinations and attacks.
鈥淲e will win and there will be justice, because it must be so to protect what is best about the province we love,鈥� Eby said.
The City of Surrey also issued a statement on Mayor Brenda Locke鈥檚 behalf.
鈥淭here is an ongoing investigation currently being conducted and I will monitor this very serious incident that has impacted our city and our country,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am confident that law enforcement agencies will ensure that the integrity of Canadian democracy and the safety of our citizens are protected. I hope that this investigation provides Mr. Nijjar鈥檚 family with the closure I am sure they seek.鈥�
The Ministry of External Affairs for the Government of India鈥� statement, in reply to Trudeau鈥檚 claim, says India is a 鈥渄emocratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law鈥� and that 鈥渟uch unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India鈥檚 sovereignty and territorial integrity.
鈥淭he inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern,鈥� it reads.
India鈥檚 statement also chides Canadian politicians whom it claims 鈥渉ave openly expressed sympathy for such elements鈥� and that this 鈥渞emains a matter of deep concern.鈥�
鈥淭he space given in Canada to a range of illegal activities including murders, human trafficking and organized crime is not new,鈥� it charges.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Tom on
