Global Capitals: Relations between India and Western nations have reached a critical breaking point following serious allegations that the Indian government is allegedly implicated in the assassinations of Khalistan movement supporters in multiple Western countries. These explosive claims have been detailed in a new documentary released by Bloomberg, sending shockwaves through international diplomacy.
The documentary centers on two major incidents in North America:
- Canada Assassination: The murder of Khalistan movement leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023.
- US Plot: Concurrently, an assassination plot was uncovered against a close associate of Nijjar in the United States.
According to the documentary, both US and Canadian governments claim that the Indian government was directly involved in these two events. While India had labeled Nijjar a terrorist, blaming him for violent incidents in Punjab, Canadian police found no evidence linking him to terrorism.
Broader Pattern of Allegations: The documentary further suggests a pattern of alleged Indian involvement in the assassinations of Sikh leaders across different jurisdictions. It references the murder of Paramjeet Singh in Pakistan and Avtar Singh in the UK, the latter occurring just three days before Nijjar’s killing in Canada.
The plot to assassinate US-based lawyer and Khalistan advocate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun also remains central, with connections tracing back to India. US authorities arrested an individual in New York linked to the plot.
Investigation and India’s Response: The American TV documentary claims that joint investigations by Canadian and US authorities yielded concrete evidence implicating the Indian government and its intelligence agency, RAW, in the murder of Sikhs. Canadian officials requested the Indian government’s cooperation in the probe, a request that India flatly rejected. Canadian authorities went as far as to hold Amit Shah, a key member of the Modi government, responsible for campaigning against and targeting Sikhs in Canada—a charge India strongly denies.
India consistently views the Khalistan movement as militant and terrorist. The situation is further complicated by past statements from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who once asserted that India has the right to kill terrorists, deepening the mistrust surrounding the current crisis.
