Canada accuses India’s Amit Shah over campaign targeting Sikh separatists
Ottawa says the close ally of India’s PM is involved in an intimidation campaign against Sikh separatists on Canadian soil. Indian sources call the allegations ‘flimsy’.
Canada has accused Indian Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, of orchestrating a campaign of violence and intimidation against Sikh activists, a development that may further strain the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison informed the national security committee on Tuesday that the Canadian government views Shah—widely regarded as India’s second-most powerful leader and a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi—as the mastermind behind the campaign targeting Sikh separatists in Canada, which has allegedly included the assassination of an activist.
India has yet to officially respond, but on Wednesday, Reuters reported that Indian government officials had dismissed the accusation.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison informed the committee that he had confirmed Amit Shah’s name to The Washington Post, which had previously reported on the allegations.
"The journalist asked me if it was that individual, and I confirmed it," Morrison told the committee. However, he did not disclose the evidence supporting Canada's claim.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously stated that Canada has credible evidence linking Indian government agents to the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
The assassination and its aftermath have sparked a diplomatic clash between Canada and India.
Canada expelled Indian diplomats it linked to the alleged campaign targeting Sikhs, prompting India to retaliate by expelling Canadian officials.
In a related case, the United States charged former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav for allegedly orchestrating a failed plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen and vocal critic of India, in New York City.
Nathalie Drouin, Prime Minister Trudeau’s national security adviser, informed the security committee on Tuesday that Canada had evidence suggesting the Indian government had been collecting information on both Indian nationals and Canadian citizens within Canada using diplomatic channels and proxies.
‘Flimsy’
Canadian authorities have previously stated that they shared evidence with India, but New Delhi has repeatedly denied this, dismissing the allegations as absurd.
India has not yet commented on the accusation against Amit Shah. However, Reuters cited unnamed government sources who said New Delhi views Canada’s evidence as “very weak” and “flimsy,” and does not expect it to pose any threat to the powerful interior minister.
Prime Minister Modi’s government has labeled Sikh separatists as "terrorists" and a threat to national security. These activists are calling for an independent state, Khalistan, to be established within India.
An armed insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. In 1984, anti-Sikh riots claimed thousands of lives following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, after she ordered security forces to storm the holiest Sikh temple to root out separatist fighters.
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