Canada has accused India’s Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of orchestrating plots against Sikh leaders in Canada. Canadian officials allege that Shah is behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Canadian Sikh leaders, according to a report by The Washington Post.
Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Confirms Allegations During a parliamentary panel, Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison confirmed he had identified Shah as the individual behind the alleged plots when questioned by a journalist from The Washington Post. The Indian government has strongly denied the claims, dismissing them as baseless and unfounded. Neither the Indian High Commission in Ottawa nor the Indian foreign ministry has provided comments.
Historical Tensions and Sikh Leaders’ Demand for Khalistan India has labeled Sikh leaders advocating for an independent Khalistan state as “terrorists” and security threats. The Khalistan movement, seeking an independent homeland, previously led to an insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and anti-Sikh riots in 1984 after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.
Diplomatic Fallout and Global Implications In October, Canada expelled Indian diplomats, linking them to the murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. In response, India expelled Canadian diplomats. This is not an isolated incident; Washington recently charged former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav with allegedly orchestrating a failed plot to assassinate Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-Canadian citizen, in New York.
Straining Relations with the West These allegations have strained India’s relations with Canada and the United States, countries that view India as a strategic counterbalance to China. The FBI had issued warnings regarding potential retaliatory threats against US-based Sikh leaders, and India announced it would formally investigate these claims, further intensifying diplomatic tensions.
