Sikh Community Protests at Vancouver’s Indian Consulate Amid Allegations of Foreign Interference

On Friday, members of Metro Vancouver’s Sikh community gathered outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver, protesting against allegations of Indian interference in Canada and marking 480 days since the assassination of B.C. gurdwara president and Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey.

The demonstrators called for the closure of Indian consulates in Vancouver and Toronto, praising Canada’s recent expulsion of six Indian diplomats as a “positive step” but insisting it was not enough. They alleged that India continues to operate clandestine networks from its consulates in Canada, undermining the safety of Canadian Sikhs.

Earlier this week, the Canadian government expelled the diplomats following allegations of "a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Indian government." The RCMP disclosed that they have substantial evidence of criminal activity conducted by Indian agents, including homicides, intimidation, and violent threats. The Mounties allege that Indian diplomats in Canada have been using their official positions to orchestrate these activities.

Gurkeerat Singh, spokesperson for the Guru Nanak Singh Gurdwara in Surrey, where Nijjar was killed in June 2023, welcomed the expulsion of Indian diplomats, stating that the Sikh community had long raised concerns about Indian interference. “There is a feeling of validation,” Singh said.

Nijjar’s killing, which supporters say was in retaliation for his activism advocating for an independent Sikh state in India’s Punjab region, has intensified tensions between the Canadian Sikh community and India. Demonstrator Imren Kaur voiced her belief that Nijjar’s assassination at the gurdwara was intended to intimidate B.C. Sikhs, saying it signaled that Indian authorities would target activists wherever they are.

Kaur also highlighted that many Sikh activists in Canada still fear for their safety, with several receiving warnings from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) that their lives may be in danger.

India has denied involvement in Nijjar’s murder and has accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of pushing a "political agenda." On Friday, MPs announced plans to launch a parliamentary committee to investigate the new foreign interference allegations.

The protest in Vancouver coincided with news from the U.S., where the Justice Department charged a former Indian intelligence officer with plotting to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.