Khalistani leader threatens Hindus, asks them to leave Canada

NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada over the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, wanted Khalistani leader Gurpreet Singh Pannun has threatened Hindus to leave Canada.

In a video that is going viral on social media, Pannun can be seen saying, “Indo Canadians who have repudiated their allegiance to Canada and the Canadian constitution, your destination is India. Leave Canada, go to India. Pro-Khalistanis have been loyal to Canada and they have upheld laws and the constitution.”

“On September 29, Shaheed Nijjar’s referendum is happening in… I urge all the Canadian citizens to be in Vancouver on October 29 to vote on ‘Is Indian High Commissioner Verma responsible for the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar?'” said Pannun, the chief of Sikhs for Justice.

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He also threatened home minister Amit Shah and external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and several diplomats.

According to Canadian media reports, the Sikhs for Justice has also announced that it will hold protests and shut down Indian consulate offices in Canada in the coming week.

Nijjar was the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). On June 18, 2023, he was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.

After the assassination, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the killing. Within hours, Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat.

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India has denied the allegations, calling them “absurd and motivated.” It has also expelled a Canadian diplomat in retaliation.

In a statement, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, “Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern. That Canadian political figures have openly expressed sympathy for such elements remains a matter of deep concern.”

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