CHANDIGARH — Ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s diplomatic and trade visit to India, the Sikh organization Dal Khalsa has formally urged him to prioritize issues of the rule of law, transnational repression, and the growing influence of organized crime in Canada during his bilateral discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a communique directed to PM Carney, Kanwar Pal Singh, Dal Khalsa’s Secretary for Political Affairs, emphasized that Sikhs in Canada and Punjab hold high expectations for justice and fairness. Striking an emotional chord, the letter noted that the Sikh community in Punjab would have greatly appreciated it if a visit to the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar had been included in the Canadian Prime Minister’s official itinerary.
The organization expressed a sense of relief regarding recent policy statements by Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. Anand recently confirmed that while the core agenda of the diplomatic visit revolves around trade, energy, technology, and artificial intelligence, primacy will also be accorded to discussions concerning the rule of law, transnational repression, and the “Bishnoi factor.”
The Dal Khalsa leadership demanded that PM Carney firmly raise these issues with Mr. Modi, stating it would reassure the Sikh diaspora that their fundamental rights—including the right to life—”will not be traded away for business and financial deals.”
Context of Fresh Threats in Canada
The communique arrives against the backdrop of heightened security concerns within the Sikh-Canadian community. Just days before PM Carney’s departure for India, the Vancouver Police Department issued a “Duty to Warn” notice to Moninder Singh, the head of the Sikh Federation of Canada, alerting him to a “credible threat” against his life and his family’s safety.
Addressing this development, the Dal Khalsa letter stated: “We believe that it was a culmination of threats to him ever since former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while speaking in the Canadian Parliament, talked about credible evidence of Indian agents’ involvement in transnational operations.”
Call for Transparency in the Nijjar Case
The letter highlighted a palpable “fear psychosis” currently gripping the Sikh diaspora in Canada, citing a drastic increase in extortions, targeted attacks on homes, and murder threats by what the organization described as vigilante groups. The group urged PM Carney and his office to actively engage with Sikh community representatives to alleviate these mounting concerns.
Reiterating their demand for transparency and accountability, Dal Khalsa expressed disappointment over federal lawyers reportedly asking Canadian courts to withhold certain information relating to the conspiracy in the trial of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination due to potential international impacts.
“The one-minute silence to mark the first anniversary of the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the Canadian Parliament on 18 June 2024 still rings loud in our ears, reminding the Canadian leadership and us, including yourself, that justice still eludes his family and aggrieved community,” the letter concluded.
