Sikh separatism, also known as the Khalistan movement, has become a significant issue in Canada, sparking debate and diplomatic tensions between India and Canada. The movement seeks to create an independent Sikh state, “Khalistan,” which would be carved out of the Indian state of Punjab. Although the movement has lost momentum in India, it has found supporters among the Sikh diaspora in Canada. This article explores the history, rise, and impact of Sikh separatism in Canada, using examples and quotes to highlight the complexities surrounding the issue.

 History of Sikh Separatism and the Khalistan Movement

The roots of Sikh separatism date back to the post-independence period in India. Sikhs, a religious minority, had long felt marginalized by both the British and Indian governments. Tensions escalated in the 1980s, when some Sikh leaders began demanding greater autonomy for Punjab, with some factions calling for an independent Sikh state. This eventually culminated in a violent clash between Sikh militants and the Indian government, most notably Operation Blue Star in 1984. 

Operation Blue Star, ordered by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was a military operation to remove Sikh militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The operation resulted in the deaths of many civilians and militants, deepening the rift between the Sikh community and the Indian state. This event also led to Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards, triggering widespread anti-Sikh riots across India.

While the Khalistan movement has largely fizzled out in India, it remains a point of contention within the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada, which has one of the largest Sikh populations outside of India.

 Sikh Separatism in Canada: A Safe Haven for the Khalistan Movement

Canada has a substantial Sikh community, with over 500,000 Sikhs living in the country, primarily in cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Brampton. Some members of the Sikh diaspora in Canada continue to support the Khalistan movement. These supporters argue that the Indian government has discriminated against Sikhs and that an independent Sikh state is necessary to protect Sikh identity and culture. 

According to Balraj Deol, a Canadian journalist, the sentiment is strong among some groups: “In Canada, the Sikh community has the freedom to express its support for Khalistan, and they don’t face the same consequences as they would in India.”

 Tensions Between Canada and India

The presence of Khalistan supporters in Canada has led to tensions between India and Canada. India has expressed concerns that some Canadian politicians are sympathetic to Sikh separatism and have allowed the movement to flourish. For example, India raised objections when Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, was accused of supporting Khalistan, although Singh has denied these claims, stating, “I’m in support of human rights and justice, but I do not endorse violence or terrorism.”

One notable incident that strained relations between the two countries occurred in 2018 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited India. Trudeau faced criticism for including pro-Khalistan figures in his delegation, which led to a diplomatic cold shoulder from the Indian government. Despite Trudeau’s attempts to clarify that Canada does not support the Khalistan movement, the incident highlighted the ongoing tension over this issue.

 Examples of Sikh Separatism in Canada

Several examples illustrate the ongoing presence of Sikh separatism in Canada:

 1. Air India Bombing (1985)

The most tragic and significant example of Sikh separatism in Canada is the 1985 Air India bombing. A bomb planted by pro-Khalistan militants exploded on Air India Flight 182, killing all 329 people on board. The mastermind behind the attack, Talwinder Singh Parmar, was a Sikh militant living in Canada. Despite the gravity of the incident, the investigation into the bombing was mired in controversy, and only one person, Inderjit Singh Reyat, was convicted in connection with the attack.

This event had a profound impact on both India and Canada. For many Canadians, the bombing was a shocking reminder of the dangers posed by extremist groups within their borders. The Canadian government later admitted to serious intelligence failures that allowed the attack to happen.

 2. Khalistan Referendums

In recent years, pro-Khalistan groups in Canada have organized referendums to gauge support for an independent Sikh state. These unofficial referendums have been held in cities with large Sikh populations, including Brampton and Vancouver. While the results are non-binding and hold no legal authority, they have stirred controversy in both Canada and India.

The Indian government has condemned these referendums as attempts to revive the Khalistan movement and has urged the Canadian government to take a stronger stance against such activities. However, Canadian officials have defended the right to free expression, even for controversial political causes.

 Quotes and Statements from Key Figures

Several key figures have weighed in on the issue of Sikh separatism in Canada:

– Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has been vocal about India’s concerns regarding Sikh separatism in Canada. In a 2021 statement, he said, “We have conveyed to Canada that the promotion of separatism, terrorism, and anti-India activities under the garb of freedom of expression should not be tolerated.”

– Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has attempted to strike a balance between respecting Canada’s Sikh community and addressing India’s concerns. After the 2018 diplomatic incident, Trudeau stated, “Canada respects India’s sovereignty, and we do not support any separatist movements, including Khalistan.”

– Amarinder Singh, the former Chief Minister of Punjab, has also criticized Canada’s handling of Sikh separatism, stating, “The Khalistan movement may be dead in India, but it is very much alive in Canada, and this poses a serious threat to peace and stability in Punjab.”

 Diplomatic and Political Challenges

The issue of Sikh separatism presents a diplomatic challenge for Canada. On one hand, Canada prides itself on being a multicultural and inclusive society that protects freedom of speech. On the other hand, the promotion of separatism and extremism within the country can strain relations with key international partners like India.

The Canadian government has taken some steps to address these concerns. For example, Public Safety Canada has listed Babbar Khalsa, a pro-Khalistan militant group, as a terrorist organization. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to curb the influence of Khalistan supporters in Canada.

From a political perspective, Canadian politicians must navigate the complex dynamics of the Sikh community, which is an important voting bloc in several regions. Some politicians have been accused of pandering to pro-Khalistan groups for electoral gains, although they deny such claims.

 Impact on Canada-India Relations

The issue of Sikh separatism has undoubtedly affected Canada-India relations. Trade negotiations between the two countries have stalled, and diplomatic relations remain strained. India is wary of what it perceives as Canada’s leniency towards Sikh separatists, while Canada faces pressure to balance its domestic politics with international diplomacy.

In a 2020 article, Indian journalist Kanchan Gupta wrote, “Canada’s reluctance to take firm action against Sikh separatists has damaged its relations with India, and this issue will continue to be a stumbling block unless both countries find a way to address their concerns.”

India and Canada’s Diplomatic Conflict: What Happened?

Recently, Canada and India, two big countries that usually work together, got into a serious argument. This argument started when Canada decided to send six Indian diplomats back to India. A diplomat is someone who works for their country’s government in another country, helping to keep the peace and build relationships. Canada accused these diplomats of being involved in the murder of a Sikh leader in Canada, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. 

The Canadian government believes that Indian agents may have been part of this murder and that these diplomats knew about it or helped in some way. Because of this, Canada said these six Indian diplomats had to leave. This situation made the relationship between India and Canada worse, leading both countries to expel each other’s diplomats.

 India’s Response

After Canada sent back the Indian diplomats, India did the same thing. India told six Canadian diplomats to leave as well. This includes Canada’s top diplomat in India, called the High Commissioner. This was India’s way of saying they do not agree with what Canada did, and they wanted to show they were also upset.

India also pulled back its own diplomats from Canada. India’s government said that they didn’t feel their diplomats would be safe in Canada after everything that had happened. They accused Canada of not doing enough to protect their people. This is a big deal because normally, diplomats are supposed to be safe, even when countries argue.

 Why Is This So Important?

Canada and India are both members of a group of countries called the Commonwealth, which means they usually work together and help each other. But now, this argument has caused a big problem between them. Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said that the Canadian government has proof that India’s agents were involved in Nijjar’s murder. He said that India has been doing things that put people in danger in Canada, including collecting secret information and being involved in violent acts.

These are very serious accusations. Trudeau said that it is “unacceptable” for any country to do things like this in Canada. He said India made a big mistake by being involved in criminal activities in Canada. However, India strongly disagrees with Canada’s claims and said that Trudeau is just trying to make his own political points.

 The Role of Canadian Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which is like Canada’s FBI, also said that India’s government has been involved in some bad activities in Canada. They believe that India has targeted people from the Indian community who are living in Canada, especially people who speak out against India’s government. The police mentioned that India may have even worked with criminals to threaten people or carry out attacks.

One of the criminal groups mentioned by the RCMP is called the Bishnoi group. The Canadian police said that this group might be connected to India’s government and that it was used to target Indian dissidents—people who disagree with India’s government—living in Canada. This is another reason why Canada decided to expel the Indian diplomats.

 Who Is Lawrence Bishnoi?

Lawrence Bishnoi is a name that came up in these conversations. He is in jail in India and is known to be the leader of a criminal group involved in many illegal activities. The Indian government is investigating him for terrorism, and his lawyer said that the accusations made by Canada should be investigated as well. Bishnoi is still awaiting trial, which means the courts haven’t yet decided if he is guilty or not.

 Canada’s Strong Reaction

Because of all these serious allegations, Canada’s government made a big decision. They asked India to remove the legal protection (called diplomatic immunity) that these diplomats usually have, so that Canadian police could question them. When India refused to do this, Canada felt they had no choice but to send the Indian diplomats home.

Canada’s Foreign Minister, Melanie Joly, explained that the government is not trying to start a fight with India. However, she also said that Canada will not ignore any country, including India, if they try to harm Canadians. 

 Growing Rift Between India and Canada

This whole situation has caused a major rift—a big disagreement—between the two countries. Earlier in October 2023, Canada had already pulled out more than 40 diplomats from India after India asked Canada to reduce the number of diplomats they had in the country. This showed that the relationship between Canada and India was already not very good.

Experts believe that it might take a long time before Canada and India can go back to being friends like they were before. Some, like Fen Osler Hampson, who is a professor in Canada, even said it is hard to see how the two countries will get along anytime soon.

Involvement of the United States

It’s not just Canada that has had issues with India about Sikh separatists. The United States has also said that Indian agents were involved in a plan to kill a Sikh separatist leader in New York last year. U.S. officials have been looking into this case and are meeting with Indian officials to talk about it.

The U.S. has warned India that trying to kill or hurt people in other countries, especially people living in countries like Canada and the U.S., will hurt India’s relationship with them. Both Canada and the U.S. want to work closely with India, especially to deal with big global issues like the rise of China, but these recent problems are making things more difficult.

 What’s Next?

Right now, the relationship between India and Canada is at a very low point. Canada’s decision to send back the Indian diplomats, and India’s move to send back Canadian diplomats, shows just how bad things have become. The two countries are not getting along, and it could take a long time to fix things.

While both countries say they want to avoid a full-blown conflict, this situation has caused a lot of tension, and it is not clear how or when things will improve. The accusations from Canada and the United States against India are very serious, and it seems like more investigations will take place in the future.

This conflict between two important countries shows just how delicate international relationships can be and how actions in one country can affect people all around the world.

Conclusion: A Delicate Balance

The rise of Sikh separatism in Canada is a complex issue with historical roots and modern-day implications. While the Khalistan movement has lost momentum in India, it remains a point of contention within the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada. The Canadian government must navigate a delicate balance between protecting free speech and addressing concerns about extremism and separatism.

As Canada continues to grapple with this issue, it must also consider the impact on its relations with India. Finding a solution that respects the rights of the Sikh community while addressing India’s concerns will be crucial for maintaining strong diplomatic ties between the two nations.

In the words of Canadian journalist Terry Milewski, “Sikh separatism is a polarizing issue that touches on questions of identity, loyalty, and the limits of free expression in a multicultural society. How Canada chooses to address this issue will have lasting consequences for both its domestic politics and its international relations.”