Who Was Hardeep Singh Nijjar? Know All About Pro-Khalistan Supporter Whose Murder Triggered Standoff Between India and Canada
Mumbai, September 19: In a stark metaphor of Canada-India ties, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expelled a top Indian diplomat while accusing Indian government agents of murdering Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June of this year. Trudeau's accusation of India's murder came only days after he was stranded in Delhi for two days following the completion of the Group of 20 summit due to a fault with his plane.
In retribution for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June, Canada expelled an Indian diplomat in Ottawa on Monday. Hardeep Singh Nijjar Killing: India Rejects Canada’s Allegation on Involvement in Death of Khalistan Tiger Force Chief, Read Full Statement.
Who Was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was assassinated in Canada on June 18, 2023. He was shot many times in front of a Gurudwara in Surrey. Nijjar was from the Jalandhar village of Bhar Singh Pura. He migrated to Canada from Punjab in 1997 and worked as a plumber. He has two boys and was married. Since relocating to Canada, he has had a lengthy relationship with Khalistan militants. He was the "mastermind" of the outlawed terrorist organisation Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). He was also a member of the outlawed separatist organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). In 2020, India labelled him as a terrorist.
Nijjar was wanted in multiple cases, including the 2007 bomb in Ludhiana, Punjab, which killed six people and wounded nearly 40 others. He was also implicated in the killing of Rulda Singh, President of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (Patiala, 2009). The National Investigation Agency (NIA) offered a monetary reward of ten lakh rupees on Nijjar in connection with the murder of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, Punjab, last July. It is also looking into the recent attacks on Indian diplomatic posts in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Nijjar's Murder Triggered Standoff Between India and Canada
During the G20 Summit, Modi and Trudeau had several heated exchanges. Trade discussions between the two countries have stalled. Canada has scrapped a planned trade trip to India for the fall. Now, Trudeau's accusation of India in Nijjar's murder demonstrates how deteriorated India-Canada ties have become. Canada Expels Indian Diplomat After PM Justin Trudeau Claims Indian Hand in Killing of Khalistani Leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar (Watch Video).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grave concerns to Trudeau at the recent G20 Summit over anti-India rallies in Canada. India has long been concerned about Sikh demonstrators in Canada. In June, India chastised Canada for permitting a float in a parade commemorating the 1984 killing of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards, which Sikh separatists saw as glorifying violence.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 19, 2023 09:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).