Canadian Ministers Concerned for Safety of Indian Diplomats Due to Threats on Protest Poster

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly speaks with reporters in the foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa on April 27, 2023. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Two senior ministers in the Liberal government cabinet say the promotional material for a planned activity protesting the killing of a Sikh leader in British Columbia is “unacceptable.”

One poster circulating online calling for a “Khalistan Freedom Rally” on July 8 in Toronto says “Kill India.” It adds that two Indian diplomats in Canada are the “faces” of the “killers” of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, who advocated for a Sikh state independent of India, and served as the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, was gunned down in June.

“Canada takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly in a July 3 statement on Twitter.

“Canada remains in close contact with Indian officials in light of some of the promotional material circulating online regarding a protest planned for July 8th, which are unacceptable.”

Indian media reported on July 3 that New Delhi demarched Ottawa with regard to the planned protest targeting its diplomatic interests in Canada.

Canada’s High Commissioner in India was summoned to the South Block of the Secretariat Building in New Delhi, which houses the foreign ministry, reported the Hindustan Times. The outlet added that a missive was also sent to Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

The Epoch Times reached out to GAC for comment but didn’t hear back by publication time. The RCMP was also contacted about the planned protest but it didn’t immediately respond.

Defence Minister Anita Anand  reacted to the promotional material, calling it “unacceptable” as well, saying “they do not represent Canadians.”

“Canada will continue to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats in this country – and we take this responsibility seriously,” she wrote on Twitter on July 3.

Outrage

The murder of Nijjar has caused outrage in the Sikh community. The 45-year-old man was shot dead on June 18 while in his truck in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wrote an open letter to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino on June 20 asking him to do “everything” within his power to “get to the bottom of this murder.”

“Following this brazen act of violence, the Sikh community feels even more worried and unsafe than they had previously,” said Singh.

The NDP leader also asked Mendicino to look into allegations reported in the media with regard to the circumstances of Nijjar’s death.

The Toronto Star reported on June 26 that New York-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said in a statement that he had spoken with Nijjar by phone the day before he was killed. Pannun said Nijjar spoke to him about threats to both of their safety related to a reward being offered by the Indian government for Nijjar’s apprehension. Nijjar also said he had been warned by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service that his life was in danger.

The Indian government has long been concerned over activities conducted by proponents of Sikh separatism from within Canada.

Nijjar has been charged in India under terrorism offences and a cash reward of 1 million rupees (CA$16,000) was offered for his arrest, reported the Hindustan Times in April.

The Khalistan Extremism Monitor says Nijjar was the leader of the Sikh separatist group Khalistan Tiger Force and affiliated with Babbar Khalsa International, which is listed by the Canadian government as a terrorist entity.

Nijjar denied allegations of involvement in terrorist activity.

“This is garbage — all the allegations. I am living here 20 years right? Look at my record. There is nothing. I am a hard-worker. I own my own business in the plumbing,” he told the Vancouver Sun in 2016, reacting to an article about him published in the Times of India. “I am working 12-14 hours every day. Everybody knows me. I don’t know why India is like that.”

Police investigators are seeking the public’s help on the case and have not ascribed a motive for the murder.

“We are in the early stages of our investigation. We understand there is a lot of speculation regarding the motive of this homicide, but we are dedicated to learning the facts and letting the evidence lead our investigation,” said Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of Surrey’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team in a June 19 statement.

The Epoch Times contacted the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.