View: Why Justin Trudeau must apologise to PM Modi over Nijjar

It has now been a year since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in Canadian Parliament that the country’s security agencies were actively pursuing what he called credible allegations of potential links between Indian intelligence and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18, 2023 in Surrey in British Columbia.

A hardcore Babbar Khalsa International turned Bhindranwale Tiger Force terrorist, Nijjar had 10 cases registered against him and the Interpol had issued a red corner alert against the Khalistani radical in 2014. Nijjar, who held several meetings with Pakistan ISI officials in 2013 & 2014 to organise terror activities in Punjab, is actively involved in networking, training and financing Khalistan Tiger Force members.

Nijjar also organised an arms training camp in Mission Hills, VC, Canada and imparted training to youth in the firing of AK-47, sniper rifles, and pistols.. Nijjar, along with Charanjit Singh and Rinku Bhila, Goldy Brar have also formed an action committee to give exemplary punishment to people involved in sacrilege cases.. But the Canadian government turned a blind eye to his terror activities.

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While Trudeau tarnished the reputation of India after the Modi government hosted a very successful G-20 summit, his government has not been able to provide a shred of evidence to substantiate the so-called credible allegation.

Today, Canada is prosecuting four Sikh men for killing Nijjar and its intelligence agencies are still trying to dig a connection between Indian intelligence and the murder of a terrorist in an inter-gang rivalry.

Justin Trudeau runs a minority government with case-to-case support by Bloc Quebecois and the pro-Khalistani New Democratic Party.

Trudeau govt may fall by February 2025

There is a strong chance that the Trudeau government may fall by February 2025 on the Finance Bill, as the Quebec party wants two key legislations to be passed in its favour and Jagmeet Singh of NDP wants to be entitled to a Parliament pension by that time.

The Opposition Conservative Party has opened a big lead and the government is expected to change in the next elections.

Given the political scenario, the opportunistic Khalistani radicals are lying low and trying to adjust to the future government change as Conservatives know that the radical Sikh vote bank is totally with the Liberals led by Trudeau.

But the larger question is Should Justin Trudeau not sincerely apologise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for indicting Indian intelligence without any proof ? 

Should Trudeau not apologise to India for polarising the Indian diaspora in Canada and radicalizing the Sikh community in Punjab to protect his vote bank? Should Trudeau not apologize for wrecking the bilateral relationship with India for Sikh votes?

A year after Nijjar killing, Trudeau has shown that Anglo-Saxon politicians can put Indian politicians to shame when it comes to political skullduggery. By accusing Indian intelligence of assassinating terrorist Nijjar, Trudeau instigated the Sikh community in India against the Modi government.

He went a step further by dabbling into the politics of Punjab through diplomats in New Delhi and Chandigarh, who had direct links with leaders of the ruling party in these two states. It was the Khalistani radicals based in Canada who were partly behind the funding of activists against the now-recalled three Farm Laws in the garb of farmers.

While Indian Ambassador to Canada Sanjay Verma called allegations against India “ ill-considered, unfortunate and unsubstantiated” in an interview recently, the role played by Justin Trudeau in radicalizing the Sikh youth against India is unforgivable.

The damage done by Trudeau by dividing the Indian diaspora for his vote bank politics under the cover of freedom of speech is perhaps permanent but the bilateral relationship may go into recovery mode once the Conservatives are in power. Trudeau should apologize for spreading an unsubstantiated lie against India. He should do it now.