The Parliament of Canada observed a minute of silence on Tuesday to mark the first anniversary of the death of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In June 2023, Nijjar, identified as a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot outside a Gurdwara in Surrey. The incident escalated tensions between India and Canada. It further heightened when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested possible involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s death. Nijjar’s name was among 40 individuals listed as ‘designated terrorists’ by the Indian government.
Canada has detained four Indian nationals in relation to the incident. India has said Canada has not officially communicated about the Sikh separatist killing or the arrests. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied Canadian accusations as "absurd and driven by ulterior motives".
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Trudeau on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. Speaking about the meeting, Trudeau said that he sees an "opportunity" to engage with the new government, including economic ties, and national security.
Meanwhile, Trudeau has said that he sees a new opening to engage with India on "some "very serious" issues on national security after the return of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to office for a third consecutive term.
In an interview to CBC News, Trudeau said, "Now that he's through his election, I think there is an opportunity for us to engage, including on some very serious issues around national security and keeping Canadians safe and the rule of law."
Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
After moving to Canada in 1997 under a fake passport, Nijjar's refugee claim was rejected, following which he married a woman who sponsored him for immigration, which too was rejected, the Global reported.
However, Trudeau called him a Canadian national in Parliament.
According to reports, Nijjar was actively recruiting and training people for KTF, a banned terrorist organisation. He was also a part of the separatist outfit Sikhs of Justice.
Over the years, India has conveyed its concern regarding Nijjar's activities. In 2018, ex-Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh gave a list of wanted persons to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with Nijjar's name on it.
In 2022, the Punjab police sought Nijjar's extradition. He was wanted in various cases, including the 2017 Ludhiana blast, which claimed the lives of six people and left 42 injured, according to
Earlier, the Punjab police registered a case against Nijjar for his alleged role in the bomb blast near a temple in Patiala.
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