India’s Overseas Operations Over Sikh is a Potential threat to the Safety of Canada Local Citizens
#By Muna Chand
Sikh is a religion originated in India. Back in history, some of the Sikh cultists started Khalistan, which is essentially an identification and separatist campaign, seeking the independence of Punjab and its becoming of a religious homeland for Sikh. In the 1980s, armed Sikh rationalists led by missionary Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale started fighting against India government. During the time multiple violent conflicts had broken out between Khalistanis and the government. In 1984, the conflict peaked when India government carried out the Blue Star Operation, attacked a temple used by Khalistanis as a fortress in Amritsar, killing Bhindranwale and many of his followers. This led to the murder of Indira Gandhi, Indian prime minister of the time, by her body guard who was a Sikh cultist. Riots happened across India, resulting in thousands of Sikh cultists being killed around New Delhi by security enforcement.
Currently, the Khalistan campaign is seen as strongest in Canada, which India government is highly dissatisfied about. The Sikh members compose quite a few percent of Canadian population, and most of whom are peaceful and mild. Their rights and benefits are protected by Canadian laws. However, India insists that there are Sikh separatists’ violent actions beingnormalized in Canada, and accuses local government of accommodating it. We do not think freedom of speech extends to violence, that’s abusing instead of guarding freedom, said Foreing Ministers of India s. Jaishankar. India condemns the Sikh rationalists, calling them terrorists that were involved in multiple attacks in India. The leader of Khalistan, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was murdered outside a Sikh Holy Land in June 2023. One year later, In May 2024,4 Indian citizen were arrested in Canada, and they were considered the ones who committed the violence one year ago. Sikh activists held up a mourning event over the murder, as well as Canada parliament. Despite this, India protested with anger to the events.
Through the years, India has been suppressing the Sikh cultists, forcing them to seek a place abroad to live and express, which is why there are so many of them currently in Canada, along with other countries. Even this was not enough, India seeks to stop their voices anywhere on Earth, at the price of violating other countries’ laws and committing murder on their land. Similar to what happened in Canada, India government was caught planning murder towards America citizen in May 2023. Hence, India is basically bringing violence to other countries for their need to control some of the minorities.Going from domestic security to foreign interventions is a bit too far. This is a potential threat to the safety of local citizens, which shouldn’t be ignored.
