Posted on Sep 21, 2023
Who was Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
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Canada has accused India of being linked to the murder of a Sikh leader on Canadian soil, fuelling a significant rift between the two countries. Who was the man, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, at the centre of those tensions?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was born in the district of Jalandhar in the North Indian state of Punjab. As a young man in 1997, he moved to Canada, where he married, had two sons and worked as a plumber.
Settled in the province of British Columbia, he also made a name for himself as a vocal advocate for the creation of Khalistan - a separate homeland for Sikhs, who are a religious minority that makes up 2% of India's population.
He had been labelled a terrorist by India, accused of, among other activities, being the "mastermind" behind the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a banned militant group in the country.
He was 45 years old when he was shot dead by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple in a Vancouver suburb on a June summer evening this year.
Those close to him have said he was warned by Canadian intelligence services before his death about threats to his safety.
India has always firmly denied any involvement in his killing, and called the allegations by Mr Trudeau "absurd".
To his supporters, Mr Nijjar - who became a Canadian citizen in 2007 - was a peaceful advocate for Sikh independence in British Columbia and a man who cared deeply about his community.
A large memorial has been set up for him outside the Surrey Gurdwara doors where he served as president. His funeral was attended by hundreds.
"He was so full of energy," Doug McCallum, the former mayor of Surrey, told CityNews Vancouver after his death. "I remember he used to pester me all the time to get a volleyball for the youth in the community and to widen the walkway so that people can get exercise."
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was born in the district of Jalandhar in the North Indian state of Punjab. As a young man in 1997, he moved to Canada, where he married, had two sons and worked as a plumber.
Settled in the province of British Columbia, he also made a name for himself as a vocal advocate for the creation of Khalistan - a separate homeland for Sikhs, who are a religious minority that makes up 2% of India's population.
He had been labelled a terrorist by India, accused of, among other activities, being the "mastermind" behind the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a banned militant group in the country.
He was 45 years old when he was shot dead by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple in a Vancouver suburb on a June summer evening this year.
Those close to him have said he was warned by Canadian intelligence services before his death about threats to his safety.
India has always firmly denied any involvement in his killing, and called the allegations by Mr Trudeau "absurd".
To his supporters, Mr Nijjar - who became a Canadian citizen in 2007 - was a peaceful advocate for Sikh independence in British Columbia and a man who cared deeply about his community.
A large memorial has been set up for him outside the Surrey Gurdwara doors where he served as president. His funeral was attended by hundreds.
"He was so full of energy," Doug McCallum, the former mayor of Surrey, told CityNews Vancouver after his death. "I remember he used to pester me all the time to get a volleyball for the youth in the community and to widen the walkway so that people can get exercise."
Who was Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Posted from bbc.com
India
Canada
Murder
Religion
British Columbia
Posted 8 mo ago
Responses: 1
2
2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The Indian government has established that he was a terrorist, but on what basis? He was never convicted on any court of law. He has no criminal record in Canada," Mr Singh told the BBC.
The journalist, who describes himself as a secular Indian and who does not support the Khalistan movement, said he remembered Mr Nijjar as a "very soft spoken" person who was active in the local community.
"Nobody saw him spew venom against anyone or be angry," he said. "You may disagree with him on (Khalistan) ... but he had every right to ask for it."...
..."The Indian government has established that he was a terrorist, but on what basis? He was never convicted on any court of law. He has no criminal record in Canada," Mr Singh told the BBC.
The journalist, who describes himself as a secular Indian and who does not support the Khalistan movement, said he remembered Mr Nijjar as a "very soft spoken" person who was active in the local community.
"Nobody saw him spew venom against anyone or be angry," he said. "You may disagree with him on (Khalistan) ... but he had every right to ask for it."...
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SGT (Join to see) He spoke out against the Indian Hindu Nationalist Government that made him a Terrorist to their mind and was a Death Sentence.
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