Canada Accuses India’s Home Minister of Targeting Sikhs

Canada has accused India’s Home Minister Amit Shah of orchestrating a campaign of violence, intimidation, and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison confirmed Shah’s name to The Washington Post, which initially reported the allegations. Morrison stated in a 29 Oct parliamentary committee meeting that Canada has evidence of India gathering intelligence on its citizens and Indian nationals within Canada through diplomatic proxies and relaying it to networks tied to incarcerated criminal Lawrence Bishnoi. Canada alleges that Shah, a close ally of Indian PM Narendra Modi, ordered the campaign, which includes the 2023 assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Top Canadian officials admitted to leaking sensitive details regarding India’s foreign interference to The Washington Post without informing the Canadian public first. Nathalie Drouin, the Canadian national-security and intelligence adviser, stated that the leak was part of a strategic communication effort to present Canada’s perspective in its ongoing dispute with India.This strategy was executed without PM Justin Trudeau’s authorization and coincided with the expulsion of six Indian diplomats on 14 Oct. The US expressed concerns over the allegations involving Shah, and is maintaining consultations with Canada, having also indicted Indian intelligence’s Research and Analysis Wing’s former official Vikash Yadav for a foiled assassination plot against Sikh for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (SDW Vol 2, Issue 43, Story 1). India strongly protested Canada’s allegations linking Shah to the violence against Sikhs in Canada. India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, called the implication ‘absurd and baseless’, warning that it would have serious consequences.