Punjab’s Sikhs Canada-India dispute fears them at home, abroad

• Punjab’s Sikhs Canada-India dispute fears them at home, abroad.
• Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot outside a temple in a Vancouver suburb.
• India expelled the head of Canadian intelligence in India.

A contentious dispute between India and Canada regarding the murder of a Sikh separatist is having repercussions in Punjab, where some Sikhs are apprehensive about potential backlash from India’s Hindu-nationalist government and the impact on their prospects for a better life in North America.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a plumber who left the northern Indian state 25 years ago and became a Canadian citizen, was fatally shot outside a temple in a Vancouver suburb in June, where he was a separatist leader among the Sikh community.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently stated that Ottawa had “credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the killing.

India had designated Nijjar a “terrorist” in 2020 and vehemently rejected the allegation as “absurd.”

In response, India expelled the head of Canadian intelligence in India, issued travel advisories, halted visa issuance to Canadians, and downsized Canada’s diplomatic presence in India.

While Sikhs constitute only 2% of India’s 1.4 billion population, they are a majority in Punjab, the birthplace of their religion. The largest Sikh population outside of Punjab resides in Canada, which has been the site of numerous protests that have irritated India.

The dream of migrating to Canada for a better life has been a driving force in Punjab, where farming is no longer as lucrative as it once was.

The state was once India’s prosperous breadbasket but has been overtaken by states that focused on manufacturing, services, and technology in recent decades. Many families now aspire to send their children to Canada for education and employment opportunities.

India is the largest source of international students in Canada, with their numbers increasing by 47% last year to reach 320,000.

However, there are concerns that deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Canada may affect the issuance of student visas and create hurdles for aspiring students.

This situation has created an atmosphere of fear among young people in Punjab, especially those engaged in protests or activism.

Sikh-Sikh tensions have intensified in recent years, with Sikh farmers leading year-long protests against farm deregulation in 2020, which resulted in a rare political setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Some Sikh groups perceive Modi’s government as creating an atmosphere of fear, particularly for young people, who are now apprehensive about participating in protests or activism.

The Dal Khalsa group, which advocates Sikh separatism, asserts that anyone fighting for Khalistan (an independent Sikh homeland) is fighting for the right to self-determination and the right to a plebiscite in Punjab.

The group claims that the Indian government targets such individuals.

While senior BJP leaders have argued that there is no significant wave of support for independence in Punjab and that any such demands pose a threat to India, they have also stated that no one has done as much for the Sikh community as Prime Minister Modi. A BJP spokesperson declined to comment on the accusations.

To stay informed about current events, please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BOLUrduNews/.

Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/bolnewsurdu01 and stay updated with the latest news.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://bit.ly/3Tv8a3P to watch news from Pakistan and around the world.

Also Read

NASA asteroid sample safely lands in Utah desert

NASA asteroid sample safely lands in Utah desert. The capsule was released...