In response to Canada’s allegations, a spokesperson for Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed deep concern and conveyed these concerns to India
Tensions between India and Canada have spilled over, causing concerns among two of Australia’s closest economic and diplomatic allies, according to reports from watoday.com.au. The Canadian Prime Minister has publicly asserted that Canadian intelligence has credible information suggesting that the Indian government may have had involvement in the assassination of Canadian-Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a prominent figure in the Khalistan separatist movement, which advocates for the establishment of an independent Sikh state in the northern Indian region of Punjab. He was tragically gunned down outside a cultural center in British Columbia on June 18.
In response to Canada’s allegations, a spokesperson for Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed deep concern and conveyed these concerns to India. The spokesperson emphasized the importance of the Indian diaspora as valued contributors to Australia’s multicultural society, where peaceful and safe expression of views is encouraged.
However, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a leader in the Khalistan movement, claimed that peaceful protests in Australia had been disrupted, quasi-referendums blocked, and demonstrators intimidated by Indian government supporters in the country. Pannun ominously warned, “Australia is the next target for Indian agents.”
When questioned about Pannun’s assertions, the Indian High Commission in Canberra offered no additional comments beyond the statement issued by New Delhi.
Pannun vehemently rejected the Indian government’s characterization of his group as violent extremists, emphasizing their commitment to peaceful, democratic advocacy. Meanwhile, the Australian government faces the challenge of managing the fallout from the alleged temple vandalism incident while upholding the rights of Sikhs to peacefully protest
In a related incident, in May, Blacktown City Council canceled a Khalistan event due to security concerns. Supporters of the Indian government had previously claimed that a Hindu temple in Rosehill had been vandalized with anti-Indian messages. They alleged that pro-Khalistan supporters were responsible for putting up “wanted” posters targeting Indian diplomats and defacing Khalistan freedom rally posters with “Kill India” messages.
Pannun, who has been designated a terrorist by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, defended his stance, stating that he was labeled a threat because he openly challenged India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He argued, “India is not a country. It is a union of states, and the people of Punjab, forcefully occupied by India, should have the right to vote.” He condemned Nijjar’s assassination as an act of terrorism.
Despite the threats against him, Pannun, who runs the Sikhs For Justice campaign from exile in the United States, asserted that he was not afraid of being assassinated. He expressed greater concern for the plight of Sikhs under successive Indian governments.
Pannun vehemently rejected the Indian government’s characterization of his group as violent extremists, emphasizing their commitment to peaceful, democratic advocacy. Meanwhile, the Australian government faces the challenge of managing the fallout from the alleged temple vandalism incident while upholding the rights of Sikhs to peacefully protest.
**************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com