Canada has accused India’s Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, of arranging a campaign of intimidation and violence against Sikh separatists within Canada, heating up tensions between the two nations. According to Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison, who shared this information with Canada’s national security committee, Shah who is a close ally of Prime minister Narendra Modi, is believed to have been involved in actions leading up to the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh activist, in 2023.
Canadian authorities claim that India’s Home Minister, Amit Shah, has been involved in gathering intelligence on Sikh separatists in Canada and collaborating with criminal networks to suppress their activism. This alleged campaign is believed to target pro-Khalistan advocates who support establishing an independent Sikh state. According to Canadian officials, the campaign even extends to actions like the June 2023 assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Canada’s allegations echo recent similar charges in the United States, where authorities accused another Indian official of a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in New York. Canada’s national security adviser, Nathalie Drouin, stated that diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue with India failed, which led Canada to go public with the accusations.
India has labeled the accusations “flimsy” suggesting they lack credible evidence. So far, India has not provided a formal, detailed response to these specific new claims. In recent months, as tensions escalated, each country has expelled diplomats in retaliation, further underscoring the ongoing diplomatic conflict.
