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India’s domestic thuggery exposed at an international level
9-27-2023
Immediately after returning from the G20 Summit in India, the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a statement on the floor of the House of Commons that Canada is pursuing "credible allegations" that link Indian government agents to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, on Canadian soil.
Allegations India rejects, calling it “absurd” and “politically motivated.” India also denies having any knowledge of it and did not know of it until PM Trudeau’s statement. Indian government seems to be in denial.
It would be catastrophic if not suicidal for a Canadian PM to make such bold statement from the floor of the House of Commons if it was not true.
We are not talking about trade disputes, or some diplomatic misunderstanding. We are talking about a Canadian PM accusing another nation of violating Canadian sovereignty and it should not be taken in jest. Violating another nation’s sovereignty is deemed an act of war.
Unfortunately, Indian government is doing just that, rather than addressing the elephant in the room, and trying to resolve issues through “backroom” diplomacy. It has turned it into a media circus domestically. It may pander some votes for the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi for being the “tough” guy image he seemed to have established at home. However, internationally, with each passing day, India finds itself further isolated for its knee-jerk reaction to very serious allegations made by a Canadian PM on the floor of the House of Commons.
Indian Prime Minister seemed to have been entrapped in his own web of lies and from the looks of it, he has no plans of going down alone. He is prepared to bring the entire nation’s credibility in disrepute.
What is “Khalistan Movement?” It is a separatist movement that aims to create an ethno-religious separate homeland for Sikhs (aka Punjabis) in the Punjab region of both, India and it also encompasses a large portion of Punjab province in Pakistan, with Pakistan’s second largest city, Lahore as its capital. If the movement succeeds, both India and Pakistan stand to lose a large land mass of very productive and fertile agricultural land. India more so because India feels that it would ignite the fire amongst other separatists’ movements, from Assam, Nagaland, to Kashmir, and Manipur. It would be impossible for anyone to contain the fallout.
Amongst the many separatists’ movement that have been brewing in India for decades. The Khalistan Movement by far is the strongest in numbers, finances, and of course political influence it wields in the west due to a large Punjabi Sikhs diaspora outside India, mostly in the west, UK, Canada, Australia, United States etc. Mr. Trudeau, after the 2015 election victory boasted that, “I have more Sikhs in cabinet than Modi.” A comment that was not taken kindly by Mr. Modi and Indian media.
Times of India’s – India’s leading English Newspaper – published an article in 2019 titled; “Canada has 18 Sikhs MP. India only 13 in Lok Sabha” (Indian Parliament).
It is for this very reason – fear of separation and its aftermath – subsequent Indian governments, whether it be Gandhi led Congress Party, or currently Modi led BJP have maintained an iron-fist control over Punjab.
In 1980’s, then PM Indira Gandhi had attacked Sikhs holiest place, The Golden Temple to quash what it alleged the terrorist separatist’s movement. Shortly afterwards, Ms. Gandhi’s was assassinated by her own personal Sikh bodyguard. In 1984, allegedly a made in Vancouver, BC, Canada plot resulted in the largest terrorist attacks on Canadians in the form of Air India Bombing. The alleged culprits were tried and acquitted by the Canadian courts.
There certainly is a large Indian Sikh diaspora in Canada that supports a separate Sikh state. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a leader of the Surrey Sikh Temple was amongst them. He also topped India’s most wanted list. Indian government seemingly wanted him dead or alive. However, there are legal and diplomatic avenues available amongst nations to “get their man.” Violating another nation’s sovereignty to settle scores with one’s so-called criminals, which the PM accuses Indian government of is not considered the right method amongst civilized nations.
India dismisses Mr. Trudeau’ claims as baseless. However, the US Ambassador to Canada, Mr. David Cohen has already acknowledged that it was "shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners" that led the Trudeau administration to make the claim of a potential link between "agents" of the Indian government and the killing of separatist Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Prior to taking the matter to the Canadian public, and before the G20 Summit in India, PM Trudeau’s top National Security Advisor, Ms. Jody Thomas made two trips to New Delhi to meet India’s Security ad Intelligence head Ajit Doval – “a meeting also attended by the top brass of the intelligence establishment.” Reported Indian Express.
Indian Express has also reported that “US President, Joe Biden and other western leaders had expressed concerns to PM Narendra Modi about Canadian claims that agents linked to New Delhi were involved in the murder of Sikh separatist in Vancouver when they met him at the G20 Summit earlier this month.”
According to the Financial Times, “several members of the Five Eyes — an intelligence-sharing network that includes the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — raised the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar with Modi.”
Therefore, Indian claims and PM Modi’s assertions that this news was a surprise to the Indian government is simply a hogwash.
PM Trudeau and the Canadian government seemed to have tried their best t keep things under wraps and have made all efforts to resolve this issue through backdoor diplomatic approach.
It is the stubbornness and hot headedness of PM Modi and his government whose real face is now being exposed to the world where they feel that they could carry their modus operandi of domestic thuggery at international level and deal with opponents in same manner as they do domestically and they are being reminded by Canada and other western civilized democracies that if you want to play in the big league than you need to act like one and own up to your uncivilized decisions. Certainly, seems like a tall order for Mr. Modi and his government.
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