The recent attack by a mob carrying Khalistan flags on devotees in a Hindu temple in Ontario, Canada may be a fresh wave of state-supported violence notwithstanding the casual “unacceptable" remark by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau   condemning the violence.  

Trudeau, who accuses India of killing Hardeep Sigh Nijjar while admitting he doesn’t have concrete evidence, is playing the game to continue pressuring India for 'vote-bank politics' and on instigation of the United States. Khalistan supporters are mired in internecine gang warfare for control of gurudwaras and the drug trade, both in Canada and the US, an issue which also came up when Nijjar was killed.  

The busting of a drug 'super-lab' in Canada on October 25, 2024 (https://bc-cb.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=85957), with Khalistan supporter Gaganpreet Singh Randhawa as the main suspect, proves the above - 500-kgs plus of drugs seized (including over 95,500,000 doses of fentanyl), 89 firearms including (45 handguns, 21 AR-15-style rifles and submachine guns, many loaded and ready for use), silencers, explosive devices, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, body armour, and $500,000 in cash.

Canada is possibly also supplying fentanyl to the US through  cross connections with the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-led Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). Pakistan’s ISI links to Canada and the US are well known. Pakistan has signed a deal with a Canadian company to develop one the world's largest gold and copper mining projects in Reko Diq mine in Balochistan, having estimated reserves of 5.9 billion ton of ore - 0.41% copper and 41.5 million of gold with mining life of minimum 40 years.

Sheltering of 'wanted' killers

India sent full details of Nijjar’s terrorist activities to Canada in 2014 but Canada simply sat on it. Canada also didn’t hand over Bangladeshi Noor Chowdhury who admitted being one of the killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, Bangladesh's founder president, in 1975. Stewart Bell wrote in his book ‘Cold Terror’’ that Canada became an operational base of international terrorism long ago and by 1998 every terrorist group in the world was operating in Canada.

Bell highlighted that Canada-based Babbar Khalsa was implicated in the bombing of Air India Flight 182 killing all 329 on board over Canada on June 23, 1985, plus the bomb planted in another Air India flight that killed two in Japan. The inquiry concluded that “cascading series of errors” by the Canadian government, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) “allowed” the terrorist attack to take place. An American Canadian, who was part of the Air India flight 182 bombing, was let off lightly.  

Despite admitting lack of concrete evidence, Trudeau expelled some Indian diplomats including the high commissioner, forcing India to also expel some Canadian diplomats. Canada has since also accused India’s Home Minister Amit Shah for plotting to kill Sikh-separatists in Canada. 

The US, heading the White Taliban Organization (https://news4masses.com/white-taliban-organization-wto/), has accused India for plotting to kill Pannun, who continues to indulge in terrorism by publicly threatening to blow up Air India aircraft. America’s Justice Department has accused an Indian origin national, an Indian government employee and even the Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The accusations are purportedly based on inputs from the ‘Five Eyes’ network. We are in an era where artificial intelligence can be used to fabricate any evidence – be it conversation, phone calls or whatever. 

The fact is that the US has undertaken scores of assassinations the world over.  The US has also not handed over Pakistan-born American terrorist David Coleman Headey to India whose role in assisting Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists for undertaking the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks is well established. 

US, Canada will have a price to pay

India has filed many cases against Pakistani nationals for undertaking terrorist attacks in India but the US-led West has nothing to say about making these terrorists available to India for trial despite having enough influence over Islamabad.

Yet US officials like National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says India does not have any special exemption for operating on foreign soil and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the US government was actively engaged with India to “help” Canada complete this investigation – as if American and Canadian terrorist are god’s own and the CIA has immunity for killings globally?

India must understand that carving out Khalistan from the state of Punjab is dead and there is no need to make a song and dance of it even though the political party ruling Punjab is not the same as in New Delhi. The US and Canada are welcome to harbour Khalistan supporters  but these countries will eventually pay the costs for indirectly promoting terrorism. 

The requirement is now for India to call the bluff of America’s 'deep state' and take a firm stand, telling the US bluntly 'you are welcome to file cases as you wish, we will do the same also' – but we will take actions as warranted by India’s national interests. Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi convey this to the present and the next US president?

(The author is an Indian Army veteran, Views expressed are personal)